Updated development: Maritime Academy of Nigeria set for commercialized industry manpower needs training

The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron Akwa Ibom, will begin commercialized training in relevant programmes for manpower development in the maritime industry.

Rector of the Academy, Commodore Duja Effedua (Rtd.) disclosed this to newsmen at a briefing on Thursday in Lagos, while speaking on the latest development in the Academy.

Effedua said that while the Academy expects to receive the Helicopter Underwater Escape training equipment by the end of May, 2021, it had written to the Maritime Administration for approval to begin the running of some courses for industry manpower development needs.

“The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is the Maritime Administration- We cannot do any training until they approve.

“We have already written for approval for about five courses, commercialised for the maritime industry. NIMASA will be receiving the letters by next week. Until they give the approval, we cannot do any training. But for the cadets, they are already training on all of them,” Effedua said.

He said that with the number and quality of instructors, simulators and other training equipment available in the Academy now, they can take courses on GMDSS, High Voltage, anything on navigation, blind pilotage or normal pilotage, dynamic positioning can be done.

On further building of the Academy’s Faculty, the Rector disclosed that recognitions and technical support have been coming in, owing to the evidence of improved standard in its infrastructure and faculty composition for quality maritime education.

He said: “The Nautical Institute of the UK has been interacting with us and giving us technical advice. They have an award for the best Cadet from our Academy, backed with one year free membership and with some books

“The IMO, after the last audit, they donated books to us, over 200 very expensive books, while Veritas International has also given a promise, because they have seen very remarkable changes.

“Here in Nigeria, the Master mariners, the Shipowners have been giving technical advice and always forthcoming whenever we call. The NPA promised books and to equip the maritime exhibition hall.”

It would be recalled that when the Rector assumed office on September 5, 2017, the Academy was in a state of near-collapse and was on the verge of being delisted by the IMO.

However, the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was able set up an Interim Management Committee (IMC) led by a maritime expert, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, that spent time to investigate the problems of the Academy and proffered solutions for its resuscitation.

A key problem associated with the Academy at that time was contract scams where contracts were awarded, paid for, but left abandoned.

The Academy contended with several other challenges including over bloated cadet enrollment, a sorry- state of hostel accommodation where cadets were crowded in a room, a large number of non-academic staff compared to academic staff, and a total decay of infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Rector of the Academy has condemned the activities of what he describes as a ‘cabal’ of fraudsters who believe they must continue to perpetrate fraudulent acts against the Academy  with the connivance of some corrupt staff, some of who steal official document and create false stories of money laundering from.

However, one Adamu Jubril, the staff who was at the heart of the false claims of being used as means of facilitating illegal transfers of funds, officially denied making any such claims.

Our correspondent sighted documents including official query issued him by the Ag. Registrar of the Academy, in November 2020, an official response he made, pleading for forgiveness and denying being a part of the group perpetrating falsehood  about money laundering.

Also sighted as presented by the Head of Quality Control of the Academy, was a letter by Mr. Jubril, pleading for forgiveness.

It therefore leaves doubts on claims by faceless persons that the same Jubril made claims of being used to launder various sums of money, which have no evidence anyway.

Following necessary steps for disciplinary action against repeated lies and connivance with faceless people to steal official documents from the Academy, Adamu Jubril was relieved of his job in December 2020.

The Academy says it will continue to implore all legal actions against character assassination campaigns, by persons, group that are identified with such smear campaigns.