Somto Bisina
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has responded to the recent protest by some of its cadet officers under the National Seafarers Development, saying it would send a fact-finding team to the Philippines.
In a statement on Saturday, signed by the NIMASA management, it said the reason for the delegation’s mission is to monitor the situation and address the grievances of the cadets in the Philippines.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a video that went viral, a group of Nigerian cadets under the NSDP were seen protesting at the Nigerian Embassy in Manila, the Philippines, over alleged refusal by the diplomatic mission to receive them and listen to their grievances against NIMASA. The cadets also alleged that they had been abandoned by NIMASA, adding that they had been in that country for about ten years.
They also condemned the embassy for denying them access, and failing to grant them audience.
However, NIMASA said that it was monitoring the unfortunate development in the Philippines involving NIMASA NSDP 2013 cadets as seen in the recent viral video.
NIMASA also disclosed that it had received ministerial approval for an assessment visit this October to ascertain, first-hand, the issues to fully and finally address them.
“Our Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Engr. Victor Ochei, will lead the fact-finding mission to the Philippines to engage the school and the cadets.
“While we regret the embarrassment this may have caused all concerned, we urge caution and avoidance of any speculative reporting until the official outcome of the on-the-spot evaluation to the Philippines is submitted,” NIMASA said.
Before the NIMASA statement, the Nigerian Embassy in Philippines had also explained why it refused to grant the protesting cadets audience.
In a statement, the embassy said the cadets did not give prior notification of their visit, as is required. The embassy, therefore, declared the protest illegal.
