By Aisha Cole
Lagos – The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on Sunday urged Nigerian students to develop interest in maritime courses to improve the manpower in the supply chain.
The Executive Secretary of the council, Mr Hassan Bello, made the plea in Lagos in a message to the 9th Annual Shipping Career Summit organised by the Chief Executive Officer, Ships and Ports, Mr Bolaji Akinola.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bello was represented by Deputy Director, Public Relations Department of the NSC, Mr Ignatius Nweke, who delivered a paper titled: “How to become an Importer or Exporter’’.
He advised the students to be well educated in any business they intend to venture into in the maritime industry to avoid challenges in their operations.
The executive secretary said that shippers could be regarded as importers and exporters; which were terms commonly heard in international trade “and these are activities that are carried out by all countries of the world’’.
According to him, import refers to an item brought into a country from any other country, while export refers to an item shipped out of the country to any other country of the world.
“Since no country in the world is self-sufficient, all countries import as well as export.
“If a country is rich in a particular resource, the country can export it to other countries of the world where it is needed.
“This is particularly true of Nigeria’s situation that exports crude oil to other countries.
“However, Nigeria is dependent on other countries for many other products and services; which is why it imports such items from other countries of the world,’’ NAN quotes Bello as saying.
He urged the students to venture more into exportation, to enable them earn more money for Nigeria, adding that an individual importer or exporter could make money through both.
The executive secretary also urged shippers to avoid both imports and exports prohibition, adding that some items such as maize, scrap metals, rough or sawn woods, wild animals, artefacts, raw hides & skin; unprocessed rubber were prohibited for exportation.
Bello said that imports prohibited items include: live or dead birds, frozen poultry, refined vegetable oil, cocoa butter, spaghetti/noddles, fruit juice in retail packs, bagged cement, used motor cycle above 15 years, furniture, among others.
In his opening remarks, Akinola told the students of Igbobi College that the school had produced great men that had excelled in their chosen profession.
Akinola said the Annual Shipping Career Summit was designed to make the students great and to equip them with the requisite knowledge that would help them build a career in the maritime industry with ease.
“Nigeria exports and imports goods into the country. In the course of these transactions, ships and ports are involved and there are people who manage them.
“We are here to tell you the professions connected to ships and ports so that when you finish from here and you want to take a career in maritime you will know what to do.
“We brought professionals in the maritime industry already working and those who have excelled in their chosen fields. They will tell you what you need to know to succeed in maritime.
“They have a lot to tell you that will help you in life,” NAN quotes Akinola as saying.
Delivering a goodwill message, Mr Oliver Omajuwa, representing Dr Taiwo Afolabi, Group Executive, Chairman of Sifax Group, one of the sponsors of the programme, said the summit was one of the greatest thing that would happen to the students.
He said that before now, all eyes had been on oil and gas with little attention paid to maritime.
Omajuwa said with time, people had come to realise that maritime was a gold mine and the gateway to the nation’s economy.
He advised the students to pay attention to the career talk and advised that if any of them decides to take a career in maritime tomorrow, he would never regret it.
A Mariner, Capt. Adewale Ishola, spoke on: “How to Develop Career at Sea’’.
Ishola said that students should ensure they got five credits in Science subjects including mathematics and English language before studying courses related to the sea, which would enable them to work in a marine environment.
He said that a mariner must be able to understand ships and propulsion, weather, sailing down the latitude, longitude and navigation as well as method of shipment.
Ishola described seafaring as a sailor’s calling, following a life at sea and on ships, adding that sea and waterways accounted for over 70 per cent of the earth surface.
He said that both living and mineral world resources were found in these untapped zones.
“In order to transport resources, there was the need to engage adequate men and women well-trained to sustain lives and the economy of all nations.
“A mariner must undergo training of different skills at different levels in line with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Convention which is Standard of Training, Certificate and Watch Keeping (STCW),
“Seafaring consists of three levels such as: Management, Operational and Support Level, while Cadetship training leads to Operational and eventually Management levels, Support Level is for all ratings, ‘’ NAN quotes Ishola said saying.
He said that there were institutions for mandatory courses in seafaring such as Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron,; Elkins Marine Training International Owerri; Charkins Maritime Safety Training Centre, Port Harcourt and Falck Prime Atlantic, Ipara, Ogun State.
The training centres also include: Matral Marine Training Centre, Tinapa Calabar; Izisco Maritime Centre, Warri; Joe Maritime Centre, Warri; and Coastal Maritime Centre, Lagos, among others.
He said that career at sea offered great privilege of traveling worldwide and also gave opportunities for exposure to international job opportunities and wages more competitive than other industries.
The President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Price Olayiwola Shittu, delivered a paper on “How to Become a Customs Broker in Nigeria’’.
Shittu described Customs brokerage as a professional practice by many people in the world.
He said that the Board of Customs related with brokers as if they are the actual customs officers and take Customs brokers into confidence in the trade procedures and documentation.
Shittu said that Customs brokerage in Nigeria was earlier known as clearing and forwarding, adding that presently, it necessitated new appellations and application.
“The business of Customs brokerage was legally established as a professional business in Nigeria through the enactment of Customs and Excise Management Act of 1958.
“The profession is practiced in all designated areas of international trade such as seaports, airports, train stations, dry ports, bonded warehouses, quarry and harbours,” NAN quotes Shittu as saying.
The President of ANLCA boss said that before a broker could practice the profession he or she must register under Corporate Affairs Commission.
A maritime Lawyer, Mr Victor Onyegbado, explained that maritime lawyer had to do with Admiralty law, which was a combination of both national and international laws that had to do with rules for ship and shipping.
Onyegbado said that maritime lawyer also concerned himself with collision at sea, salvage of ships and cargo, claims on vessels and cargo as security, in case of breach of contract.
`Maritime lawyers have vast range of areas such as ; Admiralty law, Marine Insurance law, International law of the sea, Law of the Marine Environment and Carriage of Goods by Sea,’’ he said.
Onyegbado advised students who intend to study law to be careful in picking electives toward the end of their degree programmes, to enable them to be guided into entering maritime law profession.
