EMPOWERMENT: Tetra Maritime Sponsors Ten Cadets To Greece

In line with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to catch them young, Tetra Foundation, a subsidiary of  Tetra Maritime Solution on Thursday , sent a total of ten cadets to Greece for maritime studies.

The cadets who are students from the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research are to gain more experience at the Metropolitan College , Maritime Academy in Athens, Greece.

This is the maiden edition of such innovative training put together by Tetra Maritime Solution.

Addressing the beneficiaries before their departure on Thursday in Lagos , Executive Director, Security and Safety, Tetra Maritime Solution, Rear Admiral Patrick Ozojiofor (Rtd), appealed to the cadets to inculcate the habit of discipline .

Ozojiofor noted that a total of 115  cadets were shortlisted for the exercise before the final list of 10. He further described the beneficiaries as the best brains among all those that participated in the screening .

According to him, the Chairman of the company is already in Greece to receive the cadets urging them to be ambassadors  of Nigeria while studying oversea.

The Executive Director said training of the cadets is centred on the company’s quest to compete favourably with others on the international stage adding that “We want to make them marketable.

“We are trying to contribute our quota to maritime development. We decided to take up these set of young ones and make them useful to themselves and the Industry.

“I congratulate and pray for you all and we can only hope that you guys will not disappoint. You all are luck people.

He lamented that  about 8,000 cadets under  NIMASA National Seafarers ‘Development Programme ( NSDP) project are yet to gain meaningful job placement onboard ships since graduation but added that the lucky 10 under the foundation project will be different as fleet of vessels are already available for them to sail on.

He also disclosed that the company would further scout for more talents from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State adding that the school of Oceanography was considered first due to the proximity of Lagos.

Families and members of the seafaring union present took turn to advice and pray for the cadets, even as they urged the company to prioritize the cadets welfare.

According to the President, Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) , Comrade Bob Yousou said the union will continue to make case for the cadets whenever there is the need

Yousou who was represented by the Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC ) affiliate group, Comrade John Okpono Aleakhue, harped on career progression for the cadets calling on  the company to allow them showcase their talents.

While urging them to be good ambassadors, Yousou called on the cadets to work hard and be diligent in their quest of academic excellent.

He further described the project by Tetra Maritime Solution as laudable saying that capacity building for cadets should be a continuous exercise.

 

By Roland Ekama