Namibia must invest in modern maritime training facilities and create stronger employment pathways for local seafarers if the country is to maximise opportunities in its emerging offshore oil and gas industry, Mekondjo Amagola has urged.
Speaking at the 30th anniversary of the Namibian Maritime and Fisheries Institute (NAMFI), Amagola, a second engineer aboard the patrol vessel Anna K. Mungunda, called on government and industry stakeholders to strengthen the institution responsible for training the country’s maritime workforce. With 28 years of experience connected to NAMFI, she said the institution had helped develop generations of maritime professionals, including women serving as navigation and engineering officers.
Amagola described herself as a proud product of NAMFI, crediting the institution with providing her and many others with the skills, discipline and confidence needed to work aboard vessels. However, she warned that Namibia must do more to ensure locally trained officers can progress into senior positions across the maritime, fishing, cargo shipping and offshore energy sectors. With foreign-owned drilling rigs and support vessels expected to play a significant role in the emerging oil and gas industry, she called for stronger local-content measures requiring companies to establish clear pathways for training and promoting Namibian officers. She also urged government to invest in modern maritime simulators and adequate training infrastructure to ensure students receive practical training that meets international industry requirements.
Amagola stressed that strengthening NAMFI requires cooperation between government, maritime authorities, industry and development partners. She thanked the Namibia Training Authority for funding maritime courses, the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund for supporting students through loans, and the fishing industry for providing workplace training opportunities. She further encouraged companies to accommodate NAMFI trainees for practical attachments, saying workplace exposure is essential for developing competent maritime professionals. NAMFI, she said, remains a vital national institution that must be strengthened to prepare young Namibians for future opportunities. “Let us make it possible for a young Namibian scholar from Katima Mulilo, from Ondangwa, from Rundu, from Windhoek, from Walvis Bay, from all corners of Namibia, to start and finish their journey to becoming a Captain or Chief Engineer right here in Namibia,” she said. Amagola urged stakeholders to work together to ensure NAMFI remains equipped to serve the country’s maritime and fisheries industries for generations to come.
By Rudi Bowe
