‘A Blue Economy Initiative Without Cadets Training Ship Incomplete’ – Ebong

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

A former Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, Pastor Nseyen Ebong weekend stirred the hornet’s nest as he challenged the President Ahmed Tinubu led government to provide the Academy with a training ship.

Pastor Ebong, second from left on the first row

Pastor Ebong  who was speaking during the 2024 Cadets Graduation Ceremony of the Academy at the Rt. Honourable Chibuike Amaechi Auditorium lamented that the lack of a training ship for cadets is tantamount to the lack of training aero planes for trainee pilots or a clinical theatre for medical students.

He explained that a training ship is perhaps not a luxury but an essential requirement in the training of cadets as prescribed by the international conventions and hence a standard guideline by the International Mariti,me Organisation (IMO).

The former Rector who expressed satisfaction with the pace of transformation that has come the way of the Academy in the past six years said the continued lack of a training ship for cadets is an expression of lack of seriousness by successive governments.

He however singled out the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he explained took personal interest in the matter and took steps aimed at closing the critical gap; even though he could not provide the training ship before leaving office.

Regarded as one of the committed and focused appointees to manage the affairs of the Academy, Ebong explained that with the setting up of the marine and blue economy as a strategic repositioning blueprint, it is incumbent on the present government to prioritize the issue of a training ship for cadets under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Passionate about the growth and expected capacity of the Academy and its output as always, Ebong noted that cadets have demonstrated over and again the fact of sound academic instructions and training in view of coming tops wherever the cadets finds themselves; the only snag he said has always been practical sea time experience due to lack of a training ship.

His words: “Let me start by congratulating Mr. President for the establishment of the marine and blue economy. Let me also congratulate the Honourable Minister, HE Adegboyega Oyetola for his appointment as the pioneer minister. Let me also congratulate the board chairman of MAN, and the Ag Rector MAN, Dr. Kevin Okonna who recently assumed the saddle of leadership, together with his management.

“It’s good to be back…I moved around the campus as l came in and l must confess, l am thoroughly impressed. The work that we did…I am happy to say that people like Okonna (Dr. Kevin Okonna, Acting Rector MAN) and the rest have kept the flag flying.  By the establishment of this brand new ministry, my understanding is that the federal government of Nigerian wants to give particular attention to the maritime sector.

“This is a sector l like to say, from which the government will derive what they call the ‘low hanging fruits’ because it is already far developed but not up to the level that we want.

“I want to use this opportunity to suggest to the government of Nigeria that the cadets need a training ship, the kind of training that we offer in this institution, the training ship is important.

“I remember in 2005 when the then president called the minister of transport and said, ‘tell the rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, l want him to visit other maritime training institutions all over the world to see what is happening there, and when he comes back, l want to see the report.’

“So we embarked on a very expansive tour, starting from the Maritime University of Ghana to Cote ‘Voire, flew to Malaysia, Singapore, went to Shangai, and we ended up at Southampton Maritime University.”

With nostalgia, he related issues that cropped up during the trip which defined the place of cadets training ships.

“Something happened when we were in South Korea, l was standing on the deck of the training ship that the government gave to the school. The rector has taken us on a tour of the ship, this huge, mighty ship anchored at the water front. And the rector told us ‘l have asked the government to give the school another brand new training ship next year’.

“And there l was as the Rector of MAN…he has a set of training ship on which we were standing, l had none. And he was telling us he has requested for a newer and better ship; my mouth started to water.  At that point l lost interest in the job till we returned to Nigeria.

“So, l want to advise the federal government to provide Maritime Academy of Nigeria with training ships. Number two, for the kind of training that is offered in this Academy, we are to comply with the international standards, the pivot of maritime professional training the kind that we offer is the international convention STCW for Seafarers and its subsequent amendments.”

He continued: “Dr. Okonna knows what l am talking about, Nigeria is signatory to that international treaty document, it is therefore incumbent on Nigeria to satisfy the salient provisions of that treaty.”

Apparently impressed that yet another seasoned hand has taken over from the pacesetter immediate past Rector, Commodore Duja Effedua,  Ebong said the Academy requires the firefighter spirit of someone who can continue on the relay race that will ensure that in all circumstances, the criticality of the Academy in whatever the country gets involved, is not found wanting.

“Sitting opposite me is a man l call the encyclopedia of STCW, Dr. Okonna was with me and l am happy the ministry have considered him fit to take on the mantle of leadership albeit in acting capacity.

“As far as l know, Dr. Okonna is a square peg in a square hole in all ramifications to man the Academy goalpost. What is more, he is an insider who has learnt the hurdle, working closely with his predecessor and a number of other predecessors.”

Similarly, the revered former Rector expressed dissatisfaction with the apparent adhoc arrangement in the institution’s management team, calling on the supervising ministry of marine and blue economy to give valve to the Academy’s management organ.

“From the programme of event, l saw something that made me worry. Out of ten  management team members, more than five are in acting capacity, including the Registrar.

“Which kind of organization does that? I hear that the registrar is very efficient, if the registrar and the others are doing well, what is government waiting for to confirm their respective appointments? Why must MAN be run by adhoc management team?  The ministry should look into this”, he stated.