PROTOCOLS
On behalf of the Management, staff, cadets and students, I am very delighted to specially welcome the Representative of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola CON, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Engr. Kehinde Akinola, and all the Council members, the Director General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, and the other staff of the SON, and all other invited guests and gentlemen of the media to the Academy for the official presentation of Integrated Management System (IMS) certificate to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria by the Director General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria.
- Ladies and gentlemen, the fact is that at the present level of the Academy’s operations, the institution could no longer satisfy relevant international standards, its statutory mandates and its customers’ requirements without the certification of its Quality Standard System. For example, one of the core mandates of the Academy is to admit and train the various levels of personnel required for running and operating the ships of the merchant navy. The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers 1978 (as amended) requires that such training processes must be continuously monitored through a quality standards system to ensure achievement of defined objectives.
- In recognition of this requirement and other customers’ needs, the Academy previously established a Quality Assurance Department and engaged the SON for training and certification of many of its staff in Quality Management System (QMS) up to the lead auditors level (including the present Acting Rector). The knowledge gained was used to establish a QMS for its operations and obtained approvals and accreditations for its training programmes and courses. However, the established Quality Management System had never been submitted for verification and certification.
*PHOTO CAPTION: (R-L) The Representative of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Ogwuche John; Ag. Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Dr. Kevin Okonna; DG, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Dr. Chukwunaso Okeke; and the Chairman, Governing Council of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Engr. Kehinde Olayinka Akinola, during the official presentation of Integrated Management System Certificate (ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 21001:2025) by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to the Academy.
