By Peace Udugba.
Capacity building for Nigeria’s maritime sector received a significant boost on Friday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as 39 young graduates underwent preliminary processes for cadetship under the Nigerian Content-Human Capacity Development (NC-HCD) programme of Chevron Nigeria Limited and Intels Nigeria Limited.
The NC-HCD initiative, patterned after the 60:20:20 Strategic Training Model of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), provides for sea time experience and Certificate of Competence (CoC) training, practical exposure, and real-time experience across multiple technical domains within the facilities of Stoilic Shipping Limited, a leading member of the International Maritime Professionals Association (IMPA).
The programme, conceived in fulfilment of a policy thrust of the NCDMB to grow indigenous capacity and participation in linkage sectors of the Nigerian economy, aims to enhance employment and government revenues. According to the NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, human capital development (HCD) is “a non-negotiable pillar of the oil and gas industry’s development road map.
Engr. Ogbe emphasized that the event marked the commencement of an 18-month Cadetship Training Programme, which would equip the trainees with the skills and knowledge needed to shape the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, particularly the maritime sector. He commended Chevron Nigeria Limited for its unwavering partnership and acknowledged the critical role of the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) in aligning training content and delivery standards with industry needs.
The Capacity Building Advisor of Chevron, Mr. Victor Inyere, told the cadets that they had earned their place in the HCD programme through hard work and dedication, and that the opportunity ahead was for them to acquire skills that would shape their careers and contribute to national development.
Stoilic Nigeria Limited, represented by its General Manager, Administration, Mrs. Chimamanda Okafor, disclosed that the company’s cadets had achieved a 100% pass rate in the Certificate of Competency assessments and that the company would place cadets on vessels and open doors for them internationally. She also announced plans to establish a world-recognized maritime university in Nigeria, which would carry strong international partnerships and stand as a marvel in maritime education.
