Accidents on the Nation’s waterways through boat mishaps claimed over 500 lives across Nigeria in 2024. These incidents have raised concern about the safety of craft operating on country’s waterways. The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Marine & Blue Economy mandated its Agencies to embark on a safety campaign to the riverine communities and distribution of life jackets to boat operators. Recently the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, Akwa Ibom State held a safety and workshop to sensitize Boat Operators and distribution of life jacket to them. Pathways Africa Magazine took up the acting Rector, Dr. Kevin Okonna on the way out of this menace that has be deviled the nation’s waterways and others.  Excepts 

 In your candid opinion, what do you think can be done to curtail or tackle the incessant boating mishaps?

 Many of the boat operators are not trained and not aware of safety standards. So, with training and the safety awareness campaigns it’s very possible to bring down the rate of these incidents. We are already having positive result as the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in collaboration with NIWA has gone ahead with those campaigns and we’re already seeing results.

You were just appointed as the Acting Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Akwa Ibom, and taking a look at your track record, what is your own vision for the institution, and how do you intend to achieve this vision?

My vision is to implement all government directives that are communicated to me, and while I’m doing that, ensure the highest quality of training of the candidates and student of Maritime Academy of Nigeria at whatever status, whether as National Diploma or HND, but I’m committed to carrying out all directives of the government, respect to the transition, respect to quality of training.

What are some of the challenges and difficulties that the academy has faced so far, and where do you think government should come in?

I’ve only been here for a very short while but if I were to tell you, our major challenge is having public power supply to drive the many high power consuming equipment we use here in the academy. We have had to run generators on our own to power and run simulators-based courses. We had issues with PHCN but now we are having discussions on how to solve those issues because the solar we installed in so many buildings cannot power many things. We only use them for light power requiring facilities.

 What is the position of militants in this area?  The last training vessel, was taken away by militants.

This area is fairly peaceful. The last incident took place before 2010 and lately, we have not experienced that. It was not a training vessel that was taken, it was a boat that was taken from the jetty.

 What are you doing to ensure that you get a training vessel, since that’s the heart of the academy?

Well, a training vessel is beyond the resources of the Academy. Besides, training vessel is not the most popular model for giving hands-on training to cadets. Many administrations and many institutions prefer to use Trading vessels because there are components of training that you cannot get from training vessels. Professionally speaking, training vessels are not considered the best option, because it will not allow you the capacity to train as many people as you want. Trading vessel is better the cadets.

What do you think can be put in to ensure Nigeria is back on the IMO White List?

Nigeria has been a member of the IMO since 2002 and has never left. The only problem we use to have and people misunderstand it is that Nigeria goes for the Category C membership of the IMO and we use to fail and people misinterpret it to be that we fail IMO White list. The IMO White List was established by IMO Maritime Committee to identify countries that will compete with the STCW Convention. The position of the STCW convention is to recognise a certificate     for working onboard a vessel, the STCW demands that the country that is going to recognize another’s certificate must take necessary steps to convince itself that the same provisions of the STCW are being adhered to by the other country.