Government is getting impatient with MAN, Oron - Amaechi

The Federal government is gradually losing its patience with the slow pace of development at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria(MAN), Oron despite the huge investments made on the institution.

An apparently angry minister who showed undisguised disgust at the stunted growth of the apex maritime institution, threatened that if there is no improvement at the academy, government may not have a choice but to shift its attention to other maritime institution.

Amaechi, who made this disclosure on Monday during the commissioning of some projects in theAcademy, revealed that government may shift its attention to the Transport University which is being proposed to be built at Daura, Katsina State, the home of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Minister said a Chinese firm is soon to commence construction work on the proposed Transport University.

Amaechi said the work to be done by the Chinese is part of the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR.

He therefore charged the Rector of the institution, Commodore Emmanuel Effedua and his management team to get their acts together if they do not want to be abandoned by the government.

He declared that a lot of funds and time had been invested at the academy over the decades, noting that government was becoming impatient.

He noted that unless government sees considerable improvement in the academy, focus would be diverted to the new university.

Responding, the Commodore Effedua said that they are ready and aware of the development, assuring that they are working very hard to charge the fortunes to the academy.

The new boss of the academy, who took over the leadership of the academy last year, noted that they have completed the first phase of the master plan for the development of academy which is the improvement of infrastructure.

He said that they are doing everything possible to be competitive, noting that all facilities and training being put in place at the academy presently are in accordance with the International Maritime Organisation, IMO recommended STWC standard.

The Rector , who was apparently jolted by the Minister’s irritation with the Academy, explained that the first phase has been completed and that the second phase is the provision of the necessary technical infrastructure, stressing that the process had already commenced.

He explained that the academy had been in discussion with an Indian outfit for the measurements of the facility constructed for the simulator to enable them deliver it before the end of the year.

He also disclosed that the academy has gotten some books for the library and would start stocking the library this week after the commissioning. He also said that the institution had engaged the services of about 16 lecturers.
He also pointed out that a contract for the renovation of the hostels for the cadets had already commenced before the arrival of the minister for the commissioning of facilities at the academy.

He assured that minister that by December this year there will be great transformation of the academy