Authorities of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have received a four-man delegation of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the audit of activities and programmes in Maritime studies domiciled at the Institute of Maritime Studies (IMS) on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
The delegation: Mr. Adeshina Ajayi, Engr. Ikenna Nwachukwu, Engr. Oderinde Hakeem and Obiina Egejiru was accompanied by the Director, Academic Planning Unit, Professor Mathew Ilori; Chairman, Institute of Maritime Studies Board, Professor Ademola Omojola; Director of the Institute, Professor Olusegun Badejo; and Dr. Peter Oluseyi. They were received by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS.
In his remarks, the NIMASA team Lead, Mr. Adeshina Ajayi stated the various initiatives being undertaken by NIMASA to ensure the provision of quality education in the maritime sector.
According to him, UNILAG-NIMASA Institute of Maritime Studies (IMS) building is one of six (6) projects sited across each geopolitical zone of the country by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to provide suitable support for manpower development for the contemporary maritime industry, through comprehensive theoretical and practical maritime training.
Mr. Ajayi explained that through partnerships with educational institutions such as the University of Lagos, the leadership of NIMASA is convinced that it will be able to facilitate the development of curriculum and training programs that meet international standards.
His words “We have come to see available facilities and the quality of learning resources as well as staffing at the university’s disposal. I want to state that our visit is to ensure compliance in our quest to building a prosperous future for Nigeria’s maritime industry.
Welcoming the team, the Vice-Chancellor reassured NIMASA of the University’s commitment to sustaining standards by intentionally changing the narrative of maritime education.
Professor Ogunsola, received the guests along with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, (Development Services), Professor Ayodele Atsenuwa; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, (Management Services), Professor Lucian Obinna Chukwu and representative of the Acting Registrar, Mrs. Yetunde Ogunlewe, noted that the UNILAG aims is to be a leading figure in repositioning Nigeria’s Blue Economy and we will continue to ensure effective teaching, learning and administration at the University as these are the key components of my agenda to take UNILAG further as a globally recognized university.
She urged the apex regulatory maritime agency team to carry out a fair assessment of the programmes, point out grey areas as well as other areas that needs improvement.
Her words “.. We understand the essence of this exercise and have put in the works to satisfy the requirements. Though I believe that there are a few areas that might need improvements, we at the University of Lagos do not view such feedback as condemnation, rather a call to re-double efforts to improve overall learning and teaching of students under our virile quality assurance process.”
NIMASA was established in 2007 with the merger of the National Maritime Authority (NMA) and the Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council (JMLIC).
