Investment in maritime training will grow African economies, says Adalikwu
By Uzor Odigbo
Secretary General, Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, has enjoined African countries to invest in maritime capacity building as a way to achieve economic growth.
Speaking in Accra at the 29th Board of Governors Meeting and convocation ceremony of the Regional Maritime University(RMU), Adalikwu said African countries can save foreign exchange by providing competency courses and globally acceptable certification within the continent.
He highlighted that maritime training that aligns with Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) which comes with certification for unlimited career prospects for African seafarers will improve the earnings of African seafarers and close the gap of unemployment in the maritime industry.
The MOWCA SG said ICT based maritime training such as the Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) which was included as part of Manila amendment of the STCW have become imperative in MOWCA”s goal of supporting member countries to produce modern seafarers
The SG said MOWCA is still in communications with notable bodies like African Development Bank(AfDB); African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Afreximbank where it has made a strong case for the role of maritime transport in the continental trade aspirations of these bodies.
He added that MOWCA has frontally presented the technical/skill inputs that its specialized institutions will bring to bear
Speaking specifically on the RMU which celebrated 65 years of existence and forty years of regionalization, Dr. Adalikwu said ” It is a non-contestable fact that we can save some foreign exchange if we grow this school to provide some certification and competency courses that we receive from outside the sub-region, just as we will be able to generate foreign earnings if we can also become maritime training hubs. It is possible and achievable if we try.
“I am particularly happy to see that RMU is listed and active on the MOWCA-IMO Joint Action Plan working group where we will continue to explore avenues of drawing assistance to the school.
“As I had informed, we are still in communications with the AfDB, AfCFTA and Afreximbank where we have made a strong case for the role of maritime transport in the continental trade aspirations of these bodies.
“Therein, MOWCA has frontally presented the technical/skill inputs that our specialized institutions will bring to bear. I am glad to inform that our observations have been noted with assured promises to assist our schools to grow the needed capacities and competence for our maritime industries.
” It is a non-contestable fact that we can save some foreign exchange if we grow this school to provide some certification and competency courses that we receive from outside the sub-region, just as we will be able to generate foreign earnings if we can also become maritime training hubs. It is possible and achievable if we try” the MOWCA SG said
He expressed joy that the RMU is listed and active on the MOWCA-IMO Joint Action Plan working group which will draw attention to the university for international support.
The Accra based RMU is one of MOWCA’s specialised organs
