The House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has commended the budget performance of the the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron while commending the Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, HE Adegboyega Oyetola for pioneering the birth of Nigeria’s Blue Economy policy.
Vice Chairman of the Committee,Hon. Uduak Alphonsus Odudoh who spoke to newsmen at the end of an oversight visit to the academy said the institution is critical to realisation of Nigeria’s economic diversification.
The committee expressed satisfaction with the projects seen on ground after it looked at the books of the academy
Odudoh who said after oil, it is maritime , added that the massive infrastructural and training equipment upgrade achieved by the academy requires funding for sustenance.
The lawmaker who stood in for the Committee Chairman, Hon. Khadija Buka Abba Ibrahim, said Nigeria needs the critical support of the academy to continually produce the required manpower geared towards harnessing the full benefits from our waters.
While commending the Acting Rector, Dr Kevin Okonna for improving on the achievements of his predecessor and promoting a robust relationship with the host community, the lawmaker said the federal government and the entire maritime industry stakeholders should support the academy to continually play it’s role of offering specialised training.
He described the academy as a vital national asset serving Nigeria and other countries with prospects of becoming the best in Africa.
The lawmaker praised immediate past Rector, Cdre Duja Emmanuel Effedua for the giant strides that has rapidly transformed the academy in the last eight years while urging the management staff members to support the Acting Rector to succeed in his new task.
He also described Effedua as a transparent CEO ,whose steps the Acting Rector has followed in accepting the oversight visit few months into his administration
He thanked President Bola Tinubu for appointing a Governing Council for the academy,led by Engr. Kehinde Akionola to achieve smooth running of the institution as contained in it’s enabling law.
Hon Odudoh also praised the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, HE Adegboyega Oyetola for pioneering the drive towards sustainable blue economy with a laudable policy document where the Maritime Academy is given a prominent role of overseeing training of human resources
“I thank the president of Nigeria for graciously appointing the governing council of this great institution led by Engr. Kehinde Akiinola. The last time we came here on oversight, about a year ago, there was no governing council and the Act establishing this academy stipulates that there must be a governing council.
“A governing council plays a different role from the management of these institution so let me thank those that found favour in the sight of God and that of the president to be appointed as chairman and members of the governing council .
“Let me also thank the acting rector, who from my investigation has been one of the longest serving staff. A deserving position has been given to him. Having served here for many years I know he will consolidate.
“A lawmaker has three major roles to play. Lawmaking, oversight function, and representation. What we are doing here now is oversight function and in answering those questions, let me also commend once again the previous rector and the present rector.
“I want to say it on camera, It is only a head of agency who has a skeleton to hide in his cupboard that will always be afraid of oversights. For over a period of two years now, any time we want to come here on oversight, the former rector will be ready to accept us because they are always very transparent.
“To some head of agencies, anytime you talk about oversight they feel you are coming to probe them let’s assume you are actually going there for probing, if they are doing the right thing it’s not something they should be scared of
“Their books and budget performance report had been sent to the committee long before today. We went through it, we asked questions and we’ve gone to see what they have used the money for. Especially in the areas of capital projects and we are satisfied.
“On five percent allocation the current DG of NIMASA is cooperating. Any moment from now, they will come for budget appraisal and budget defense. But before that, arising from the last visit that we came here, and the visitation of MAN Oron to the National Assembly Committee on Maritime Safety and Recreation Administration, the issue of 5% was raised and a subcommittee was constituted , headed by one of our colleagues so the work is still ongoing. Because we must ensure that there is a timely release of these funds.
” Primarily, I want to commend the new rector, he has started on very good note. Having stayed here for a very long time, he has learned the ropes . He has chosen to consolidate and also correct what seems to be the errors of the past, because nobody is perfect.
“Today, before i came here members of this host community called me and they told me that the Acting Rector, who is just barely three months old on the job has done well in terms of his relationship with the host community. Because if you operate in a place where the community is hostile, you will be completely distracted. We came to discuss a couple of things and you know he will perform excellently well.
“The Acting Rector is like putting a square peg in a square hole. He is a veteran as long as this place is concerned. He is a professional. Even when we go on facility tours, after the instructors have spoken, he will summarize and simplify it in the way and manner that a layman will understand
“We went to the Marine Engineering Workshop, the instructor told us how the machines, the engine of a ship can be dismantled and assembled. Tell me where you can see that in most of the universities in Nigeria that offer Marine Engineering? You can’t find it anywhere. So the only prayer that we have is, this school has to be sustained and upgraded. We also appreciate the environment. It’s one of the neatest institutions in Nigeria.
“As a committee, as house of reps, we will do everything to ensure that we support this school to grow so that citizens of Nigeria can continually be proud of this school”
On the planned Ibaka Deep Seaport, he said the state governor is leading a delegation of more than 70 prominent Akwa Ibomite to visit Mr. President to discuss on a lot of issues that bother on the development of Akwa Ibom including the Ibaka deep seaport
While welcoming the lawmakers, the Acting Rector, Dr Okonna thanked the Minister for providing guidance and support to the academy. He told them that as member of the defunct Interim Management Committee with the former Rector, Cdre Duja Effedua,Rtd ,he worked closely with the former Rector to achieve unprecedented developments for the academy.
He further described the academy as being partly instrumental to Nigeria’s presence on the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO)White List of countries that are compliant with Standards of Training and Certification Watchkeeping (STCW)
Okonna disclosed that in addition to its regular courses, the academy also run 48 specialised courses for seafarers certification and shore based personnel.
On recruitment of trainers, the Acting Rector said the academy is presently utilising the services of master mariners and chief engineers who have retired from sea service on contract basis due to it’s inability to employ and retain the required quantity of such category of personnel on permanent basis.
