By Audrey Raymonda John
The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) Executive Director, Paul Massaquoi, officially launched the Standard of Training Certificate & Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) courses in Sierra Leone on Tuesday, 2nd April 2023, at the Country Lodge, Hill Station in Freetown.
Sierra Leone had not offered such courses since 1975 until the appointment of Mr. Paul Massaquoi as the ED of SLMA. Prior to this, Sierra Leoneans had to travel to Ghana for this training, incurring high costs for airfare, living expenses, course fees, and the sea man discharge book.
Mr. Massaquoi, in his speech, emphasized that one of his first priorities upon his appointment in 2020 was to engage international stakeholders to bring STCW training to Sierra Leone. He successfully negotiated accreditation for these courses with international bodies such as the IMO, RMU, and WMU. At the national level, he worked with the Law Officers department and parliament to domesticate the STCW Convention into Sierra Leonean law, which was accomplished in July 2021.
Following the domestication of the STCW Convention, SLMA signed an MoU with the Regional Maritime University in Ghana to commence offering the five basic safety IMO mandatory STCW courses in Sierra Leone. This initiative aims to make essential maritime training more accessible and convenient for aspiring seafarers and maritime professionals in Sierra Leone.
The five basic mandatory courses cover personal survival techniques, fire prevention and firefighting, elementary first aid, personal safety and social responsibility, and proficiency in security awareness. These courses will be conducted in collaboration with the Regional Maritime University to ensure high-quality practical training.
The training program will be conducted in two stages: first, conducting refreshers and revalidation of the five basic mandatory STCW courses for seafarers and maritime professionals, and second, recruiting, training, and placing Sierra Leoneans on ships flying both national and international flags.
Ahmed Saybom Kanu, Managing Director of the Sierra Leone National Shipping Company, commended SLMA for organizing the training, emphasizing its alignment with President Julius Maada’s flagship program “Feed Salone.” He highlighted the economic benefits for both the employed youth and the government.
Captain Joshua Addo from the Regional Maritime University expressed gratitude to SLMA for boosting the capacity of young people in Sierra Leone. He emphasized their goal of not only training these individuals but also enabling them to train other Sierra Leoneans, reducing the government’s training costs.
Honorable Member of Parliament, Momoh Bockarie, encouraged the youth to take the training seriously and urged SLMA to engage parliament for any necessary legislation.
The welcome address was given by Admin Director Nnathorma Kumba.