The Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, has faulted the recent approval granted the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence undergraduate degree programmes.
The association said rather than grant approval, the government should concentrate on equipping the institution to meet international standard.
The Deputy Secretary of the association, Mr John Okpono who disclosed this in a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos, maintained what the association has been advocating for is that the government should upgrade the university to international standard.
He urged the government to ensure that there is a bilateral agreement between the school and international bodies, so that the university’s certificates will be acceptable anywhere in the world.
“You know Nigeria is a complex country and as the name implies that it is a Maritime University, it is the only one we have for now. What we have been requesting and advocating is that the government should make it up to international standard, let there be qualified teachers there in the school. They should have bilateral agreement so that the certificates there would be recognised international that has been our request”
He advised the government to key into the international standard of a maritime university, adding that in other parts of the world, a maritime university runs 90% maritime courses.
“If the government has decided to move a straight forward by NUC recognising it to be made a university, there is no problem with that. But what we know is that in other parts of the world a maritime university runs 90% maritime course. But if they want to run full university, there is no problem with that, what makes a university are the facilities, the human and structure. If they have enough money and space to accommodate other courses, so let it be. What matters is the maritime university having an international recognition and meeting international standard and having qualified lecturers”, he stated.
Speaking also on the recent announcement by the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, on procuring 100 Cabotage vessels for indigenous shipping, he charged the DG to back his promises up with action.
“On the 100 Cabotage vessels he said, the truth of the matter is that all these sayings are not what we are after; we need action, they should start implementing those things. Look at what happened on the Cabotage itself and the Cabotage financing these are issues that. If they said they want to buy vessels no problem what we want is more actions than talks”, he concluded.
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