Dearth of practical training programme for cadets at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa-Ibom State, would soon be drastically reduced as the management of Genesis Worldwide Shipping, an indigenous outfit, has concluded plans to engage more cadets on board its five sea going vessels, even as it faulted the recent sending of 30 Nigerian cadets to Malaysia.

Managing Director of Genesis Worldwide, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, said this at an interactive session with stakeholders over the weekend in Lagos. He also decried the dearth of opportunities for practical training for cadets in the country.

Iheanacho explained that his company has decided to take on more cadets on board its five vessels (including the new 13,000 tons tanker vessel from Canada expected before the end of the year) to afford them the opportunity to acquire the practical experience they need.

To achieve this, the Master Mariner noted that his company has concluded plans to turn its vessels into training groud for the cadets and in this light, they would "create and sustain 12 cadets training berths on board its vessels."

According to Iheanacho whose company is currently training 11 cadets, the decision is part of his effort to give back to the system which helped in building him and making him what he is today. He pointed out that unlike other foreign owned vessels that spend billions of dollars maintaining and other sub-sectors of the shipping business, such funds in the case of Genesis, are ploughed back into the nation's economy.

He faulted the recent sending of 30 Nigerian cadets to Malaysia at the cost of $300m for practical training by government which he described as putting the cart before the horse. Instead of the training programme or building of dockyards, he charged government to channel its efforts at increasing the nation's fleet which would automatically create the first two mentioned above.

He noted that if such money had been given to Nigerian shipping owners to train the cadets, they (cadets) would not only get quality training but the resources would remain in the country. He explained that government's deliberate effort to encourage local shipping companies through such programmes would go a long way in providing funds for them to acquire more ships.