The House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has declared a vote of confidence in Dr. Kevin Okonna, Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria for building on the legacies of his predecessors and taking the academy steps higher than he met it.
Speaking during a recent oversight visit to the academy on Thursday, March 12, 2026, members of the committee unanimously commended Okonna for his commitment in fostering growth, maintaining the school’s trajectory of infrastructural development and promoting harmonious relationship conducive for teaching and learning between the school and it’s host community
Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Alphonsus Uduak Odudoh described Okonna as a round peg in a round hole always being transparent and never shying away from oversight visits because he has nothing to hide.
Odudoh, who lauded what he described as Okonna’s unrelenting commitment to duty which has earned the academy several accolades including the ISO Certification by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria. He said the lawmakers are willing to use their legislative offices to contribute towards the academy’s growth.
Ododuh said “Considering that the Acting Rector has only spent one year in office, we are impressed with the progress made so far. We also discussed some of the challenges he may be facing and areas where the National Assembly could provide support where necessary.
“The message we are taking back is clear: we are satisfied with his performance. We encourage him to sustain the momentum and urge members of the management team and staff to continue supporting him so that the institution can move from its current level to even greater heights.
“We are impressed. We are also optimistic that the remaining components of the budget will be executed within the expected timeframe.
“ Looking ahead to the 2026 budget cycle, the Academy has been given time to prepare and present its proposal. The date scheduled for the budget defence is the 25th of this month. When they appear before the committee, we will carefully examine the proposal, make the necessary adjustments where required, and consider it for approval.
“However, the most important thing is not just the approval of budgets but accountability in the use of public funds. Today, the Rector has demonstrated the level of transparency and accountability that we expect from heads of government agencies.
“It is usually those who have something to hide that become uncomfortable when the National Assembly conducts oversight visits. Our responsibility is to ask questions, identify areas that require improvement, and ensure that public resources are properly utilised. In fact, before coming here today, we already had access to the relevant documents and reports submitted to us.
“From the briefing we received and from what we have seen on ground during this visit, we are satisfied with the progress made so far. Going forward, the committee will continue to support the institution and will not hesitate to grant the necessary approvals when due, provided that the same level of accountability and performance is maintained” the Deputy Chairman said
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Hon Ambaiowei Rodney Ebikebina, a member of the committee also lauded the rapid infrastructural upgrade that has continued to feature on the campus. He recalled his days as a student of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST) , now Rivers State University where as a marine engineering scholar, he visited the academy regularly and appreciated Okonna for supporting the devedevelopmet
Another member , Hon Paul Ekpo described the Acting Rector as “Mr Project” because, according to him,on Okonna’s watch, the academy is having very impactful projects that are critical to it’s success as a maritime training institution.
Hon Olufemi Ogunbanwo applauded the obvious cooperation between the Rector and members of his management team while reminding them that working together is a recipe for organisational success.
Hon Mark Esset identified the support Okonna gave to the host community through corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as a kind gesture and highly commendable intervention .
The Acting Rector told the lawmakers that the academy has defeated the challenge of irregular power supply as there is now 24 hours supply all days of the week either through public power source, generator and solar powered electricity.
He said the Naval Quarters is presently under reconstruction and has attained 98 percent completion after integrity tests
Dr Okonna announced ongoing construction of a 500 seater auditorium divided into two floors. The top floor according to him, is to accommodate 250 persons coming for Dec COC programme while the down floor would be a 250 capacity auditorium for marine engineering.
The three survival pools, the Acting Rector said, are undergoing rehabilitation with one being completely rebuilt to be ready within a month after the visit.
In a bid to safeguard the structures in the school, Okonna added that an erosion control mechanism as been put in place as part of the construction works in the academy’s environment.
As part of the academy’s CSR programme, it has supported the Eyo Abasi community with electricity through reconnection to the national grid and supported their paramount ruler through increased electricity supply to his palace.
Okonna also announced that the academy has built a market for the Eyo Abasi people,which is now fully in use contributing to the local economy and social stability of the host community
Giving a reassurance that the academy is now safer than it used to be, the Acting Rector announced that whereas no Rector slept on the campus of the academy since 2011, he has raised the security confidence level and lives fully on campus with other staff and cadets.
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