Lagos, Sept. 12, 2023 – Dr. Bashir Jamoh, the Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), says the safety of seafarers is at the heart of an efficient and productive maritime sector.
Jamon made the observation when NIMASA held an enlightenment workshop for seafarers, employers of seafarers and other maritime stakeholders in Lagos on Seafarers’ Medical Certification and other related issues concerning the health of Nigerian Seafarers.
The Director-General was represented at the event by the Head, Administration and Human Resources Department, Hamisu Gambo.
Jamoh said the safety and well-being of seafarers were paramount to ensuring the smooth operation and success of the maritime industry.
“The ability to maintain high medical standards and certifications is not only a legal requirement, but crucial to safeguarding the lives of those who dedicate their careers to the sea.”
He said the agency organised the event to ensure that ship owners, workers unions, employers of labour and other stakeholders were well informed on the issue of seafarers’ medical certification.
“This workshop has been meticulously curated to address the pressing concerns faced by rejection of medical certificates issued to seafarers by some facilities and to equip all with the knowledge and tools needed to meet the stringent medical requirements set forth by international maritime authorities,” he said.
Some of the topics addressed at the workshop included comprehensive overview of medical fitness standards and guidelines, updates on the latest medical advancements and guidelines and understanding the medical examination process for seafarers.
At the event, medical screening forms, plaques and certificates were distributed to approved doctors to aid in their screening of seafarers.
The forum also served as an opportunity for networking among the medical and maritime practitioners. (GBN)
Lagos, Sept. 12, 2023 – The federal government has launched a five-year
national strategic plan to boost potato production in Nigeria from 2023 to
2028.
According to Proshare, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security,
Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the government aims to stimulate economic growth
through various agricultural value chain activities.
According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, China is the world’s
leading potato producer, with 94.3 metric tonnes. Egypt is the top producer in
Africa, with about 6.9m metric tonnes, ahead of Nigeria, the 7th producer with
1.2m metric tonnes.
The essence of this strategy is to ensure sustainable food and nutrition
security to catalyse the rapid transformation of the Nigerian potato sector
into a commercially viable sub-sector of the Agricultural Value Chains as a
primary export product.
While the strategic plan is expected to boost potato production, analysts
are sceptical about how ‘SMART’ this plan is.
Timely, yet lack the specific tonnes the strategic plan hopes to achieve in
the next five years.
If effectively carried out, the strategic plan should promote Nigeria
from its position in Africa. This will require a targeted measure of production
the country set to produce and compete with other Africa’s leading
producers (see chart above).
