Minister calls for more Faculties as NIMASA Promises Better Funding

Equatorial Guinea, a Central African country has written to request training for Guinean Cadets by the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN.

Rector of the Academy, Cdr. Duja Effedua Emmanuel, (rtd), disclosed this epoch development during his presentation at this year’s World Maritime Day celebration at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Apart from Equatorial Guinea, the Rector told maritime stakeholders that several institutions and Oil and Gas companies have requested for training for their staff by the Academy.

In his words “I am happy to inform you that Equatorial Guinea has written to us requesting to train their Cadets at MAN”

“We have also received several applications from very credible institutions requesting training for their technical personnel and staff  because we have the most modern Simulators and other training equipment that no other Maritime Academy within the West African sub Region has”

Effedua emphasized that training equipment available at the Academy are top notch and not generic.

“With the training equipment that we have at the Academy, anyone going outside Nigeria for any kind of Maritime Training is just wasting his/her time because it is absolutely unnecessary” Effedua said.

While reassuring stakeholders of better things to happen at the Academy, the Rector said he will completely block all leakages and ensure that those looking for free money from the Academy get nothing.

“The days of money sharing at the Academy are over. We need money for further development of the Academy, we don’t have enough for our needs, where do i get money to share from”, the Rector queried.

Maritime stakeholders at the event commended the Rector and his management team for their efforts even as they called on the Rector not to relent in repositioning the Academy for greater excellence.

Specifically, the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi charged the Rector to create more faculties of learning at the Academy and build higher capacity for the Nigeria’s maritime needs.

“If you could work at having more faculties, engage qualified lecturers, even if they have to come and teach on part time basis at the Academy because of the issue of salary structure which is not within your purview, Nigeria stands to benefit more. The youths that you so help become betters persons will never forget the gesture and they will have you to thank in the future”, the minister said.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh expressed joy at the transformation ongoing at the Academy.

According to Dr. Jamoh “Few years ago, the Academy was like a waste land, a place where very little or nothing was happening and nobody wanted to go there. The Rector has changed the face of the Academy and shown that so much is possible when there is commitment and passion to succeed”

“Where there were no structures, there are now structures, where there used to be small hut-like buildings, there are now big spacious structures, where there use to be several abandoned projects, you now have such projects completed and put to use, where there were no training equipment, there are now very modern, state of the art training equipment, where there was no training swimming pool, you now have several swimming pools, where there was no Simulator, several Simulators have been procured, installed and commissioned for training purposes; and the list goes on”

“The Rector has demonstrated resilience and determination to succeed where others failed and we will continue to support him by providing the required funding so that the Academy can continue to carry out its training”,

“We recognize that the Maritime industry is dependent on human capacity. Without the necessary manpower, the industry will not function, we will therefore do everything within our power to support the Academy to succeed” Dr. Jamoh said.

Recall that the Nigerian Maritime University, NMU, visited the Academy recently to seek areas of collaboration and training for students of NMU.

Speaking during the tour of the Academy by NMU Cadets and Lecturers, the VC, represented by the Dean, School of Maritime Transport and Logistics, Dr. Victor Omoke expressed surprise and joy at the unfolding transformation at MAN.

Dr. Omoke classified the quality of educational and infrastructural facilities put in place by the Rector in the Academy as second to none in the Country and hard to find within the West African sub region and beyond.

Dr. Omoke said that leaders in the mold of Commodore Effedua (rtd.) are what Nigerians desire, adding that Nigeria needed to replicate his likes in every sector of the economy for speedy positive changes.

In the VC words “I visited the Academy few years ago and it was nothing compared to what I have seen today. The transformation is massive, unimaginable and unbelievable. This is the kind of leaders Nigerians have been praying for; I believe that hard work, productivity, efficiency, transparency and ability to deliver are rare traits which should be lauded and encouraged when found in any leader”.

With promise by the Rector to do more, the future seems very bright for the Academy as stakeholders remain very expectant.