Rector of Stars Maritime Academy (SMA); Dr. Reuben Ovai has advocated the need for the Federal Government to remove foremost nautical school, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron from the supervision of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to the Ministry of Education.
The rector argued that since NIMASA has its own institutions; namely Nigeria Maritime University and the NIMASA Colleges, there will be some level of bias in the area of funding of MAN Oron.
Rector of Stars Maritime Academy (SMA); Dr. Reuben Ovai has advocated the need for the Federal Government to remove foremost nautical school, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron from the supervision of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to the Ministry of Education.
The rector argued that since NIMASA has its own institutions; namely Nigeria Maritime University and the NIMASA Colleges, there will be some level of bias in the area of funding of MAN Oron.
Ovai gave the suggestion in an exclusive chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos, last week.
The SMA boss reiterated the need for the government to redefine the role of NIMASA, adding that the maritime regulatory agency needs not be involved in the area of funding of schools.
"I am one of the advocates that even suggested that MAN Oron should be under the Ministry of Education not Ministry of Transport"
"MAN Oron should be listed among other tertiary institutions and there is need for the technical school to be removed from one agency’s funding".
According to him, the Lagos –based School of Oceanography and College of Fisheries are maritime-related institutions, yet no agency in the maritime sector is responsible for their funding, just like the responsibility given to NIMASA for the funding MAN Oron.
He noted that all government owned maritime institutions should be regulated by the National University Commission (NUC) and argued that it is impossible for every minister to own a specialised school or university.
Ovai also kicked against the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), saying that it is wrong for NIMASA to send students abroad for maritime trainings.
He argued that such singular act alone by NIMASA sending students overseas for training is sending a wrong signal to the international community. The act of foreign training of cadets shows that MAN Oron is not competent enough to train seafarers.
The SMA boss consequently called on the government to put a stop to the training of seafarers abroad , adding that NIMASA should concentrate on policy interpretation.
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