*Bridging the infrastructure Deficit gap

*Cadets’/Staff Welfare Enhanced

*Structures/Facilities Upgraded

Unlike chief executives who prefer to talk before they do, the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua, probably owing to military his background and trainings, prefers to keep his ideas and strategies close to his chest in line with strategic military precision.

Reports reaching us from the Academy indicate that the Effedua led management team, conscious of the Presidential mandate to restructure and reposition the Academy for greater efficiency, is working round the clock towards bridging the infrastructural deficit to make teaching and learning much more comfortable in a conducive environment where educational tranquility essential for Academic excellence prevails.

With Cadets’ and staff welfare at heart, the Rector is keen on exploring avenues to ensure that lecturers and Cadets cohabit in classrooms which have been upgraded to lectures theatres, with digital lecture gadgets installed, in line with international standards.

Barely a year in office, we are told that the Rector and his team are working even at weekends to ensure upgrade of infrastructure, renewal of facilities, greener, cleaner clearer academic environment where Cadets, teaching and non-teaching staff of the Academy carry out their duties without inhibitions.

With hundreds of youths already employed in different units to provide services to Academy, issues of hostilities and mutual suspicion/distrust between the Academy and host communities have been consigned to the dustbin of history.

The turnaround being effected is such that anywhere you turn, there is something new that has been done or been done to upgrade infrastructure within the Academy.

Specifically, what was formally referred to as classrooms are being remodeled and upgraded to lecture theatres with digital teaching facilities installed. We gathered that these modern lecture theatres will not sit more than thirty cadets at any point in time. This is to ensure concentration and attention to details. Apart from complying will international standards, lecturers and cadets are expected to benefit immensely from improved ambience/environment.

An excited lecturer who could not hide his joy said “when the stage, environment, ambience combine to provide a setting conducive to learning, the lecturer is not only inspired but motivated and compelled to deliver. But when the classroom is dusty, stinking and fouled by all kinds of odour, the moral of lecturers and students to teach and learn respectively is affected negatively”.

In a recent chat with us in Abuja, the Rector told us he is committed to his work and the Presidential mandate given to him to implement at MAN.

According to him. “My mandate is very clear. I am charged to Restructure, Reposition the Academy and bring to match with other Maritime Academies in the world. Make it more competitive, attractive and ensure that our Cadets stand shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts from anywhere. We are fully committed to that task and I will do everything possible to achieve that mandate for our country Nigeria”

For a man who believes in talking less and doing more, the days to come will show the extent of work, the depth of commitment, the passion and zest epitomized by Commodore Effedua Duja and his management team.