Catch them young: Nigeria celebrates World Maritime Day with vision to attract children

By Hauwa Ali

As the World Maritime Day approaches, Nigerian Maritime agencies have come up with initiative to open the minds of the younger generation to opportunities in the Maritime sector in order to grow with love for the sector as well as provide technological innovations needed in the sector.

NatureNews.Africa reports that the initiative, ‘Catch-them-Young’ is to inspire and train young Nigerians towards developing careers in maritime.

To achieve this, a series of programs have been drafted for primary, secondary and tertiary students on considering maritime studies as a career pathway; where Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) is in charge of primary schools, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is for secondary schools and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is for tertiary institutions.

The plan which kicked off in Lagos recently, with primary schools was organised by NIWA in collaboration with the Ocean Ambassadors Foundation (OAF) with no fewer than 20 Lagos Island schools participation, particularly, in the essay competition; with 10 primary schools going into Semi finals for Primary 5 and 6 pupils.
Themed “New Technologies for Greener Shipping”, the highlight of the programme was the launch of a Career Chart displaying maritime careers alphabetically and disseminated to various primary schools at the event.

Speaking at the event, the Lagos Area Manager, NIWA, Mrs. Sarat Braimah said that the programme was strategically positioned to get young Nigerians to pick careers in the maritime industry; and also grow to provide technological innovations needed in the sector.

Her words: “This is part of the event to commemorate the 2022 World Maritime Day celebration.

“We are encouraging the young children to know and write about the new technologies for shipping and they have written a lot of essays and the most brilliant ones will emerge.”

“NIWA wants people to know and key into the theme of this year’s world maritime day because the new technologies will bring about greener shipping.” She said.

Braimah stressed that the idea of greener shipping is about safety with an emphasis on new engines, technology, and innovative operations to have an eco-friendly environment and secure inland waterways.

Also speaking, the Convener of Ocean Ambassadors Foundation, Mrs. Violet Williams, commended NIWA for the initiative, noting that the catching them young initiative would ensure there is a next generation of skilled workforce to take over from the ageing maritime industry veterans.

“This is part of the event to commemorate the 2022 World Maritime Day celebration. NIWA is in charge of primary schools; the Nigerian Ports Authority is for secondary schools and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency is for tertiary institutions.

“We are encouraging the young children to know and write about the new technologies for shipping and they have written a lot of essays and the most brilliant ones will emerge.

“NIWA wants people to know and key into the theme of this year’s world maritime day because the new technologies will bring about greener shipping”, she stated.

She emphasised the importance of arousing societal interest in greener shipping for safety, adding that there are new engines and technologies available for an eco-friendlier inland waters environment.

On her part, the Convener of Ocean Ambassadors Foundation, Hon. Violet Williams who commended NIWA for the initiative said that the catch-them-young initiative ensures a generational succession of skilled workforce in the maritime industry.

“This programme is a unique programme which is targeted at getting the lowest level of students in primary school at the early stage of Primary 5 and 6.

“The essay on Greener Shipping is also a good one because it talks about new technologies in shipping.

“Presently with the catch them young programme at OAF, we have two girls studying Marine Engineering and two boys studying Nautical Sciences in Ghana, and today’s examiner is studying engineering at the University of Lagos.

“It’s not easy but the resilience and the passion of the children keep driving me because they want to learn more,” she said.
Williams challenged other parastatals to establish more of such programmes to stimulate the interest of the young in maritime.

In a passionate contribution, the Director of Education/Principal, Eko Akete Senior Grammar School, Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, has expressed the confidence that young minds could better position the country to make technological advancement in shipping a reality.

Noting that most of the schools were from Lagos Island, he stated that the programme availed the students an opportunity to better understand the marine environment and the numerous career and trade opportunities in the sector.

“Most of these students have not seen the potential and prospects of Lagos Island even though most of them are born there. With this programme, they have been exposed to careers in maritime,” he said.