Stars Academy Accuses NIMASA of Registering ‘Mushroom’ Schools

A privately-owned Merchant Navy institution; Stars Maritime Academy (SMA) has accused the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)  of cunningly approving some institutions that are not recognized by NBTE and Ministry of Education.
The academy also accused the agency of causing the drop being experienced in the number  of students seeking admission in the  academy, especially in 2015.
Although the number of cadets that graduated  from the academy in 2015 stood at 44 ,the private manpower development institution lamented that the apex regulatory agency 's marine notice that was published  in 2014 ,which stated that some maritime schools like Stars Maritime Academy are not recognized  by NIMASA contributed to the drop in admission. 
He alleged that NIMASA accredited some schools that are not accredited by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Federal Ministry of Education.Apart from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron in Akwa Ibom state, and College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, the school of Oceanography was missing on the list of accredited school by NIMASA, a situation maritime academician described as bias and myopic on the part of the maritime agency. 
But at the school's Passing Out Parade  (POP) and Graduation held in Ogun State recently, Rector of the academy; Dr. Reuben Ovai said that NIMASA’s  marine notice caused a lot of harms to privately owned maritime schools, that are duly-accredited and registered by the NBTE and Ministry of Education.  
Ovai alleged that the last NIMASA administration under Patrick Akpobolokemi played dirty politics with the approval of private schools and added that NIMASA has no right to approve or accredit institutions. 
He noted that NIMASA is to regulate the practice of all the maritime academies through the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), pointing out that the marine noted released last year by the agency is myopic in the eyes of maritime experts as regards accreditation or approval of institution. 
According to him, NIMASA only has the right  to approve the Standard of Training Certificate and Watch keeping(STCW) which a convention from IMO. 
"NIMASA cunningly approved some institutions that are not recognized by NBTE and Ministry of Education"
"We should not make nonsense of the embodiment of the maritime sector because when you flash that to the public, it sends a wrong signal to those who want to pick a career in that field. 
Ovai however alleged that the diploma being awarded by the accredited institutions is not recognised by either the Ministry of Transport or NBTE.  
The recognised maritime training institution according to NIMASA are:  the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron; ; Chalkins Maritme Safety Centre; Elkins Marine, Joe Marine, Coastal Marine; Tolmann Allied Services; Mantral Maritime Centre, Izizco Obosco Institute and Falck Prime Atlantic.