Maritime Academy plans new marine exhibition centre

The Rector of MAN, Comr. Duja Efedua, revealed this recently while hosting an executive delegation of Alumni of MAN Oron (AMANO), led by its President, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa.

The Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (AMANO) commended the institution’s efforts at enhancing its profile and technical capacity with more stimulators and better remuneration for staff among others.

Efedua said: “The Academy now has three Major simulators, which is one of the latest in the world, Multifunctional Classroom Simulation system, Full Mission Bridge Simulation and Full Mission Engine room Simulation.”

The Rector, who also received an award of excellence from the Academy’s Alumni Body, commended AMANO led by Maiguwa for their continuous support of the institution and the entire maritime sector.

He also assured that his leadership has a goal to restore the Academy to its proper place as a world-class maritime training institution.

Effedua also expressed delight that most of the problems that bedeviled the institution in the past had been addressed, including the challenges of overcrowding of cadets in hostels and classrooms with a hostel room accommodating up to 18 cadets per room in the past, poor medical facility and poor transportation system.

According to him, the Academy was able to carry out an upward review of salaries, especially for contracted instructors with special skills, to be able to attract and keep quality personnel with regular training.

Noting that the Academy was expecting two Master Mariners to join in about a week and four more in the coming months, MAN Rector said this transformation has resulted in the employment of over 100 members of the host community and assured that more would be employed as things progress.

He also mentioned that the Institution is now ready to start pursuing international certification and as a means to propagate the shipping profession to those who come on an excursion to the school, the Academy is working on a marine exhibition centre.

President, Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (AMANO) Emmanuel Maiguwa, while presenting an award of Excellence to the Rector of the Academy, Cmdr (Rtd) Duja Efedua, during the courtesy visit of some members of AMANO to the Academy recently.

President of AMANO thanked the Rector and his team for the reception and excellent work of transformation being carried out in the Academy.

He expressed confidence that if this is sustained for a few more years, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria will have the chance of becoming one of the top maritime training facilities in Africa.

Maiguwa stated that the visit aimed to enable AMANO to assess the progress on the ground and learn from the management how best AMANO could use its wealth of experience in the industry to support the Academy.

The alumni group also stated that the Academy must seek a special grant to make adequate funding available for the Academy to attract Active-Seafarers who will be motivated to share their work time between ships and Academy without losing remuneration.