*Minister Pledges to Provide needed Support

*Call on Stakeholders to Assist in Rebirth of the Academy

*Urge Cadets to be good ambassadors

*As Best Graduating Cadet Gets Automatic Employment

The Federal government, in the quest for improved international ratings on several indexed templates, is assiduously working across all sectors to improve capacity and up the ante in industrial productivity for economic growth and national development.

Speaking at the 2018 Passing Out Parade, POP, of Cadets of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, the Minister of transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi revealed that the Federal government is committed to providing the needed infrastructure and enabling environment necessary for the requisite trainings provided by the Academy.

According to the minister, plans to restructure, upgrade and reposition the Academy were informed by the need to make the Institution competitive and strengthen it to deliver on its mandate.

He assured stakeholders that the federal government will not renege on its renewed focus on the Academy nor abdicate its responsibilities as it concerns development of the Academy. He however called on maritime stakeholders to assist and support government to ensure a safe rebirth of the Academy.

Deputy Chairman of the House committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration Hon Adeolu Solomon, while commending the Rector, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua (rtd), stated that a Bill to upgrade the Academy to a degree awarding institution is receiving total attention at the National Assembly. He disclosed that the Academy has from their over functions has improved tremendously from what existed prior to the emergence of the present management.

A Specialized Training Institution

The Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua, (rtd) in his remarks reiterated that the Academy is a specialized training institution which is not open to all who may desire to further their education at the Academy.

Effedua stressed that quality and not quantity is the focus of management of the Academy in order to ensure quality manpower for the local and global maritime industry.

In his words “If you look at an institution like the University of Lagos for instance, it is not all who apply for admission that get admitted”. Apart from academic requirements there are other factors such as available facilities that are considered” For us at the Academy, we have decided to admit the number of Cadets that we can adequately cater for. We do not want to cramp Cadets into hostels and classrooms”

Effedua explained that following the restructuring directive by the Federal Government and recommendations of the International Maritime Organization, IMO, it becomes imperative that the Academy complies with international regulations and best practices.

“The IMO recommends a maximum of thirty students per class and that is the standard/model we have adopted”

“When an IMO team visited the Academy, they inspected our facilities and made recommendations. It is only if we want to attract sanctions that we would go against their directives”

“By admitting eighty-eight ND and one hundred and sixty HND Cadets only in the 2018/2019 session, we are confident that our lecturers and Cadets will co-habit in a much more conducive learning environment that is bound to impact very positively the quality of Cadets that eventually come out of the Academy”

While calling on stakeholders to support the Academy in its trainings, the Rector thanked all those who continue to assist the school towards meeting the manpower needs of Nigeria’s maritime industry.

Best Graduating Cadet Gets Automatic Employment

For Frederick Chikadibia Nwanfor, it was indeed a day of joy and harvesting of the fruits of his many sleepless nights spent searching for academic as well as technological answers to nagging nautical questions/issues affecting maritime development globally.

Apart from emerging as the best overall graduatingCadet, Nwafor also pocketed the Usoro prize of N250, 000. The Rector’s overall best and Academic excellence award were also carted away by Nwafor from the parade ground.

Chairman governing council of the Academy Chief Demola Seriki made a donation N100, 00 to support the Usoro prize for Nwafor.

The chairman of Starz Maritime, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun gave Fredrick Nwafor automatic employment into the Starz group to boost the company’s manpower capacity.

The 2018 POP would be remembered for the precision and clinical execution of the organizing committee chaired Dr. Kelvin Okona, a management staff of the Academy.

Indeed, the 2018 POP of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, coming six years after the last one was a Classic Professional Display and celebration of Academic Excellence.