The Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) has condemned the establishment of nautical institutions in Nigeria without due accreditation and approval from the Nigerian Maritime Administration Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The association particularly fingered the African Maritime Academy, a nautical institution located in Oyo town in Oyo State, saying that the school was part of the illegal establishments that have deceived unsuspecting Nigerian students who are eager to pursue a career in maritime.
The Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) has condemned the establishment of nautical institutions in Nigeria without due accreditation and approval from the Nigerian Maritime Administration Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The association particularly fingered the African Maritime Academy, a nautical institution located in Oyo town in Oyo State, saying that the school was part of the illegal establishments that have deceived unsuspecting Nigerian students who are eager to pursue a career in maritime.
The association has however charged the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to sensitize Nigerians on the private academies that it has so far accredited.
They also cautioned that, NIMASA in accrediting schools should take maritime training and manpower development more seriously; according to them many of those schools do not have the required curriculum.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos last week, President of the association; Capt. Ade Olopoenia pointed out that the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, remains the only recognized maritime academy in Nigeria.
According to him, "the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron is the only recognized nautical college in the country that Nigeria submitted to the IMO, but we know that there are so many schools in Nigeria here and it is so sad that unsuspecting students go to these schools, but at the end of the day, when they finished, they have nowhere to go"
"They collect a lot of money from these children without the requisite staff to teach them, they are just taking them for a ride, there is one in Oyo State, African Maritime Academy, I find it strange that there will be a school in a place like that, it is inconceivable; worldwide, maritime academies are sited near waters" Olopoenia stated.
Also speaking with Shipping Position Daily on the development, a former President of NAMM; Capt Adewale Ishola reiterated that the MAN, Oron and the Federal College of Fisheries remain the only legal academies in Nigeria.
"Why we are talking about illegal ones is because we are only aware of these two academies, they have accredited programmes from the National Board for Technical Education, unless the private ones have approval from NIMASA, they are still illegal"
Speaking on the operations of the African Maritime Academy, Oyo State, Capt. Ishola stressed further that, "I don't think NIMASA has given them approval, so they are still illegal until they are given approval"
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