Maritime Academy Under-Funded, Governing Council Tells FG

ABIOLA Seun

The management of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron has called on the federal government and the National Assembly for improved funding for the academy.

Speaking over the weekend at the 2018 cadets’ Passing Out Parade and Graduation Ceremony of 613 cadets of the academy, the Chairman, Governing Council of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, Chief Ademola Seriki urged the federal government to increase funding, saying the academy is currently under-funded.

Seriki who specifically mentioned the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for support, commended the rector of the academy, Com. Duja Effedua (Rtd) for using little fund in his possession to turn around the academy.

The Chairman said, “This noble institution is known with reputation by International Maritime Organisation and on this note, I will implore the stakeholders particularly NIMASA, and NPA but specifically the ministry of Transportation to give us stronger support base. I am yet to see that support base to be sufficient so I want to challenge you the stakeholders to give us sufficient, profound and adequate support because we need more support here.”

“We can’t do without you, maritime academy I can tell you that it is underfunded and on that note, I will use this platform to appeal to the FG, the NASS to do assist to make sure it is well funded.”

“The Rector is using little means within his disposal to do the finest of the best to prepare the best of tomorrow. So, the graduands quite a number of things we have to do which is to reposition you and that is why most softly you should not dissociate from this noble institution remember you came through the portal and you should continually be attached to it through your alumni and through the future cadets officers.

“It is complex to go through this training after most of you must have gone through apathy but you showed resilience and you are being challenged for tomorrow. The challenge for today is gone and you are prepared for tomorrow so, you should not forget to remain focus and not losing your peers network.”

Also speaking on improved funding, the Rector of the academy, Com. Duja Effedua said emerging challenges in the sector make it imperative for improved funding for the academy.

According to him, the academy being a specialized institution that gives special training to young Nigerians needed to be up-to-date in recent inventions in the industry.

“Yes, I do believe in increase in funding for the institution because there are emerging challenges in the maritime industry and if you are not in tune with current situation, how do you train people to respond appropriately. Every day, inventors come up with new inventions to enhance safety at sea and whenever those things come out, simulators are made for trainees to have first-hand training before they go on board to use those things.

“Here, we build capacity, no amount of money is ever enough for us. We will always need more because when we go out there for conferences, trade fairs, we see new inventions that we might need to train cadets. There are new books being written, we need to find out what those books contain and we buy these things with money so the chairman is right.”

Speaking on reducing the admission quota, Effedua said the academy being a special training institution won’t allow mediocrity to prevail over competence.

“This is a specialised school and not a place where we encourage mediocrity, we had issues we collapsed, we have restructured and the IMO has advised and I think it is better we adhere to international best practices.

“That’s why we made it 88 as against 1000 for National Diploma and 160 as against 800 for Higher National Diploma (HND). We don’t want a situation where we come to a cabin and instead of finding three or two, we start having 16 people, we come to class room and we have about 80 instead of 30 prescribed by IMO so we intend to comply, it will be painful but not a school for all comers.”