Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA has stated that one of the reasons behind the institution of its annual essay competition as part of the activities to commemorate the World Maritime Day is to encourage youths’ participation in the maritime industry.

Recall that the competition enters its third edition this year, which NIMASA organises annually as part of activities to celebrate the World Maritime Day established by the International Maritime Organisation IMO.

Director General of the agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside made this known in a statement at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos at the weekend. Dr. Peterside who described the youths as the future of the industry, said that NIMASA would continue to do all it can to encourage them to pursue careers and investment opportunities in the maritime industry after graduation.

He noted that “this is the third edition of the annual competition specifically designed for students in Nigerian tertiary institutions in order to stimulate research and scholarship to build their knowledge and appreciation of the maritime industry”.

The Director General who is also the chairman of the African Association of Maritime Administrations AAMA observed that massive investment in the maritime industry will help to create employment, diversify the nation’s economy and provide additional sources of income beyond crude oil and its derivatives.

Speaking about the topic and prizes for the winners of the essay competition, Dr. Peterside said that this year’s topic for the essay competition is “Empowering Women in the Maritime Community” in line with the theme of the 2019 World Maritime Day celebration. He added that the winner would go home with 500,000 naira educational grant and a laptop while the winning essay would be published in the NIMASA in-house magazine, The Voyage.

He further disclosed that the 1st and 2nd runners up would get educational grants worth N350, 000 and N250,000 respectively as well as laptops while consolation prizes of N100,000 would be given as educational grants to seven other runners up.

In line with the already published guidelines of the essay competition, only first and second year students of Nigerian tertiary institutions are eligible to participate in the competition. The essays of not less than 1,200 words must be forwarded to wmdessay@nimasa.gov.ng and mail@samuelson.com.ng on or before September 12, 2019.