“MAN and SOAN are partners in progress”

The Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Commodore, Duja Effedua (rtd), has reiterated that the Academy and the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, SOAN, are partners in nation building, manpower development and Maritime Education and Training in Nigeria.

The Rector of MAN and SOAN President at the Academy

Speaking with Maritime Insider alongside some select journalists at the Academy, the Rector expressed disgust at some media reports which were twisted to create discord between the Academy and the Nigerian Ship Owners.

According to the Rector, the relationship between MAN and SOAN is mutual and beneficial.

“The truth of the matter is that we have an MoU with SOAN members to have our Cadets on board their vessels on sea time exposure for our Cadets. If it is something they could have done gratis I am sure they would have done it but they explained that fueling the vessels and stocking food items and other essentials on board requires funding. We looked at it and we agreed on a cost which we paid” the Rector stated.

Effedua explained further that the SOAN/MAN Sea Exposure programme is on and running. He disclosed that members of SOAN have already met a larger part of the deal by taking Cadets of the Academy on Board their vessels.

Hostel Room room for Two Cadets, maximum.

“From our calculations, about 80% if not more of the agreement has been carried out by SOAN. Along the line we all realized that the Vessels were not configured for Male and Female Cadets. The International Maritime Organization, IMO and the entire maritime community has been agitating for more females to get on board global shipping which we in MAN believe in and support through our Gender Equality principle but it will be gross insensitivity on our part to put our male and female Cadets on board any vessels without proper arrangements”

“Apart from concerns on the wellbeing of our female Cadets on board, two out of the nine girls that were to go on board also had surgeries. These are the issues that caused delays which we and SOAN are aware of. It is therefore unfair to accuse SOAN of any breach or failure”.

Swimming Pool of the Academy

“For instance, we were thinking that after this Easter break, the remaining Cadets would be taken on board but the disruptions caused by this Coronavirus pandemic are severe and far reaching. What is of priority to us right now is how to overcome this virus so that we can continue from where we stopped. We have sent our Cadets home, till further notice, for their safety”

Asked about the issue of refunds by SOAN members who collected money but have not delivered fully as agreed the Rector said, “We have gotten refunds from SOAN members such as Starzs Marine and Engineering Limited which we duly acknowledged in our letter. One has to be careful with public funds because I have the minister, governing council of the Academy to explain to”

“The letter we wrote was intended to spur SOAN to action by reminding them of their obligation. It is unfortunate that some persons, out of mischief or outright ignorance tried to make it an issue”

“SOAN remains our strong ally so whatever internal issues they have should be resolved for the good of the industry. We do not have problems with SOAN and anybody who have an axe to grind with anybody should not join MAN in such issues because we honour our obligations and respect our partners”

The Rector disclosed that the Academy is very busy with execution of the restructuring and repositioning mandate given to him by the Federal Government. He called for cooperation and support from stakeholders to make the Academy the best Maritime Training Institution in Africa.

In his words “We have so much on our hands and as a responsible federal government institution, we value and appreciate all organizations, groups and associations that have identified with us on this journey. We assure SOAN and all our partners of our commitment to agreements”

Recall that the President of SOAN, Dr. Mcgeorge Onyung during a visit to the Academy last year, pledged to partner the Academy in its restructuring efforts.

Onyung disclosed then that the decision by the organization to visit and also support the Academy in critical areas of needs was motivated by the commitment of the Effedua led Management and the rapid transformation that the Academy has witnessed.

Speaking during the SOAN visit to the Academy, Dr. Onyung said “We have heard so much about your unflinching commitment towards the repositioning and restructuring of the Academy. This is my first time in this place since the establishment of this institution more than 40 years ago. As I arrived, I was first captivated by the ambience of the Academy’s environment that tells the story from the gate.”

“I must commend the Rector and his management team for their vision, commitment and taste for quality. What I have seen is a sharp contrast to the previous stories of poor management, lack of infrastructure, dearth of modern training equipment and inadequate professionals to handle core maritime courses”.

“I can now say that the Academy has a future. It is on course. I am quite satisfied. This is what gives us the courage and incentive to encourage this institution the more. It all points to the fact that with the right person in the right place, things can work in this country”, the SOAN boss stressed”.

Considering developments at the Academy, it should be of interest to hear what the SOAN President would say if he visits the Academy again.