The President of Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Mrs. Jean Chiazor-Anishere has said the association would facilitate sponsorship of girls that showed interest in the seafaring profession.

Anishere stated this while speaking in Lagos.

She said that the association had issued scholarships to some female cadets of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom, who excelled in their disciplines.

“Apart from fishing, we’ve keyed with what NIMASA (Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency) is doing in the seafaring aspect.

“We have mobilised some young girls actually, who are interested in the industry to come out (and) let us know who they are. Then we can speak to their governments to enlist them.

“So that their names can be forwarded to NIMASA for that seafarers’ programme is ongoing.

“One of our `Diamonds’, Mrs Irene Macfoy is in charge of the seafarers’ programme in NIMASA. So that makes it easy for WISTA’s identified girls to get sponsored.

“Last year, we were able to continue with what we met set up by regime past. That means, issuing scholarships to Maritime Academy, Oron’s female cadet officers who have excelled in their various disciplines.

“We did for six female cadet officers. We gave them money to finish through. N100,000 each because what they do spend is more than N100,000 so we gave N100,000 each.

“And then, we took their applications, so that we could get them jobs because the big handicap is when they finish, they don’t have where to work.”

Chiazor-Anishere said the association had engaged the services of its past executive officers at WISTA Diamond Forum in order to be more active and support the association to achieve its goals. She said that most Nigerian cadets were having problem of lack of sea time experience.

Chiazor-Anishere commended an indigenous maritime firm which had continuously been engaging cadets from the Maritime Academy, Oron, on sea time experience.

She urged indigenous shipping companies to assist Nigerian cadets to grow by engaging them on sea time experience.