From Policy To Practice: Academy Outlines Actions and Strategies For Blue Economy Excellence

By Kelvin Kagbare

 

This year’s World Maritime Day, WMD celebration brought together maritime agencies and institutions under the Federal  Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to review policy direction of the ministry and see how well policy implementation has been carried out by agencies/institutions

 

Speaking at the event, Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Oron, Dr. Kevin Okonna, outlined what management and staff of the Academy under his leadership have done and continues to do at the Academy.

Dr. Okonna described this year’s WMD theme From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence as apt and greatly reflects the trajectory of the transformation being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy,  FMMBE.

 

“A national policy on MBE has been approved, implementation framework has been adopted, and we are now implementing the policies, which encompass all IMO conventions and other global maritime policies, to ensure that Nigeria derives optimum benefits from its vast shipping and other blue economic resources while also delivering safer, cleaner and more resilient shipping” Okonna told delegates at the event.

The Ag. Rector reiterated that the Academy is very proud of it roles in the implementation of the IMO theme and the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.

Highlighting what the Academy has done since he took over two years ago, he listed a few areas which he captured as follows:

1.  The Academy has established sustainable agreements with the NSML and SOAN for its seafaring cadets to undertake the STCW Convention’s mandatory sea time training on internationally trading ships – There are currently over 50 MAN cadets on NLNG and other trading ships
2. Today the Academy has attained the Integrated Management System (IMS) Certification in line with ISO 9001:2015 (QMS) and the ISO 21001:2025 (EOMS) requirements.

 

iii) For efficiency of operations and transparency, the Academy is operating an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) for its file/memo processing, mailing and other processes.

iv) The Academy has partnerships with major international professional bodies including the Nautical Institute, UK; Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), UK; and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Nigeria for the career development of its cadets and all the cadets are registered with at least one int’l professional body.

v) The Academy is recognized by the Abuja MoU on Ports State Control for West and Central Africa for providing training and capacity building for PSCOs in the region and beyond.

vi) The Academy has reinforced with modern training facilities including simulators and its faculties.

 

vii) The Academy has invested significantly in creating conducive learning environment including solar electricity supply as alternative source of power supply.

 

viii) The Academy continues to play leadership role in the delivery of MET in Nigeria including the review of curricula.

ix) The Academy was recognized by the MOWCA to host the 1st Exchange Visit amongst the major NMETIs in the region which was successfully executed.

“The Academy’s cadets now receive automatic employment/sponsorship for sea-time training during graduation ceremony and we deeply appreciate the Honourable Minister for his strategic leadership role which has led to all these achievements and more which time constraint will not allow me to enumerate”

 

Maritime stakeholders applauded the Rector for his hard work, commitment and dedication to putting the Maritime Academy of Nigeria on the world map as global maritime operators and Institutions continue to align with and engage more with the Institution.