MAN Oron Saved N2bn From Leakages
...As FG Seeks IMO's Technical Assistance To Upgrade MAN
Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, Cdre Duja Effedua said his efforts to bridge leakages at the Academy upon assumption of duty in 2017 led to the recovery of about Two Billion (N2bn).
Cdre Effedua who disclosed above yesterday during the 2022 cadets Passing Out Parade (POP) at the Academy Ultramodern Auditorium added that under his watch, the Academy has been able to shut out the organized cartel that have held down the development of the institution.
Settle Systems Advert
The success he explained did not come without personal pains as the losers he informed has been unrelenting to hit back at him through sustained smear campaigns that seen him reporting to various anti-crime agencies on trumped up allegations.
This is even as he vowed not to negotiate the sustainable growth the Academy has secured in the past four years, adding that never again will MAN be reduced to the pathetic level of serving as an ethnic free fund enterprise.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Transportation has said Nigeria is seeing the International Maritime Organization (IMO) technical support to upgrade the MAN into a degree-awarding institution.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye who disclosed this during the POP yesterday
explained added that the Federal Government is also seeking looking up to the IMO in securing for MAN the STCW Convention, which requires sea time onboard foreign-going ships for its teaming cadets.
He also congratulated the Rector and his management team for its uncommon stewardship stride in taking the Academy on a path of unprecedented growth.
He said, “On behalf of my humble self, the Federal Ministry of Transportation, and the Nigerian Maritime Stakeholders, I wish to congratulate the 2022 graduating Cadets, the Rector and entire Staff of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria for this momentous occasion in the life of these Cadets and the Maritime Industry. The Federal Ministry of Transportation joins the Academy in this celebration.
“It is pertinent to note that great benefits await you all as graduate Cadets in the maritime sector in Nigeria and the world at large.This great feat is being achieved through adherence to regulations and guidelines emanating from IMO Conventions and Protocols, which ushered in advance technology in the marine industry.
“It is heart warming to note that Nigeria has enjoyed IMO Technical Assistance in the area of capacity training. It is equally worthy of note, that there is the need to seek greater technical cooperation between the IMO and Nigeria to enhance our capacity to meet the significantly increasing demands for maritime education and training in Nigeria; these needs includes but not limited to the following:
“Support from the IMO in further training of the Academy`s instructors/lecturers and other
personnel; Support from the IMO to the Academy in Securing the STCW Convention-required for sea time onboard foreign-going ships for her teaming cadets;
“Technical Assistance from the IMO in converting the Academy from Diploma to Degree-awarding institution; Using the Academy as a sales-point for IMO books and publications in high demand by trainees; and Greater involvement of the Academy with the IMO`s seminars/conferences/workshops and other activities.
In all, 233 Cadets graduated from the Academy with Mesaiyete Taofiq Omotayo emerging as the Best All Round Graduating Cadet.
After the Rector charged the graduating cadets to be good ambassadors of the Academy, he also promised not to rest on his oars in ensuring that the Academy ranks among leading institutions in the world.
Relieving his ugly experiences based on his decision to move the Academy from where it was, he said:
“The management since we came in have been able to stop frivolities. We let people know that this is a citadel of learning, not a business center. When staff misbehaves, we set up panel and we send the decisions to the governing council for decisions to be taken.
“We have also let people know that the Institution is not a cash cow and funds that are hiterto, wasted in frivolities are now being used to develop the Academy.
“When I came in, we battled with failing standard of training, over bloated cadets’ environment, demoralized manpower, infrastructure decay, poor maintenance of facilities, dearth of teaching aides, makeshift library facility without relevant book of reference. However, we have been able to turn that around in the last five years,” Commodore Duja Effedua stated.
Three of the best graduating Cadets got immediate employment/scholarships with Starzs Investments Company while Bricks Nigeria Limited also took two of the most disciplined cadets for two weeks training on discipline.