“We Aim to Supercharge Manpower To unlock Blue Economy”–Rector

By Kelvin Kagbare and Christopher Eyo

The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Nigeria’s foremost Maritime Education and Training, MET, institution has increased the momentum in carrying out its core mandate of providing a competent, virile workforce for the maritime and allied industries within and outside Nigeria.

One of several Swimming Pools at the Academy

Maritime Nigeria gathered that very recently, the Academy concluded training for Instructors from JABEEB  Consult Ltd., AvantGuard Security Solution, Marojion Marine and Maritech Academy, on IMO Model Course 6.09. These Instructors  came from across the country to upgrade and sharpen their teaching skills at MAN.

Feelers from the Academy indicate that the two weeks train-the-trainer programme, which graduated thirteen participants, was designed to facilitate  delivery of training in the competence  standards as required by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), for Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers 1978, as amended, including 2010 Manila Amendments.

In a chat with select media practitioners, the Rector of the Academy , Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua (Rtd), who has demonstrated unwavering commitment towards enhancing manpower capacity for the success of the Blue Economy, stated that the aim of the training was to fast track the development of the maritime sector in line with Presidential priorities, especially now that the future is Blue!

The Rector underscored the Academy’s openness to collaborations with other maritime institutions that may have  need of utilizing MAN’s state-of-the-art training facilities to bolster the learning experiences of their workforce, emphasizing that the Academy would continue to expand its horizon to accommodate emerging trends in the industry.

Auditorium of the Academy

In his words “We are not in competition with other maritime institutions, for the sake of national development of our maritime operations, we are open to discussions with similar institutions that may wish to take advantage of our equipment to improve on their training at discounted rates”

Highlighting recent developments at the Academy, the Rector disclosed the employment of two Maritime experts of Indian nationality;  Commander Narayan Subramaniam and Sudabathula Sravan Kumar to boost the Academy’s teaching workforce.

NASS members on a recent inspection tour of the Academy

“We shall strive to continuously update and recalibrate  our operations to ensure that the Academy not only meet but surpass  expectations in the implementation of our mandate” the Rector said

L/R: Ferdinand Agu, Rector and Rear Admiral Olugbode at the Multi Functional Classroom Simulator

The workaholic Rector hinted that being an international institution, the Academy has trained over forty participants from allied nations even as he reiterated his commitment to boost manpower development for the maritime industry towards the realization and full harnessing of the Blue Economy.

The Multifunctional Classroom Simulator at MAN

His words “We have already trained over fourteen participants from allied nations or foreign nationals. We are eager to do more within our capacity to supercharge manpower development that would unlock the full potentials of the blue economy”.

“The perception about the Academy is totally different now, if anyone who has not been to the Academy in the last three years comes today, there might definitely be some sort of disorientation, because it has been totally transformed. The school is a complete departure from what it was in the past“ the Rector said.

One of several Swimming Pools at the Academy

TESTIMONIALS

One of the participants, Mr. Ojokojo Mattew of AvantGuard Security Solutions Ltd., said, “The Academy’s instructors are well grounded knowledge-wise and the quality of teaching facilities are top-notch. I must say, for an organization of this capacity run by the government, I am really impressed”

Participants in the Train the Trainers program at MAN

“Even more impressive is the knowledge base of the lecturers. The interactive sessions we had were expository, the lecturers were able to dig into residual knowledge and give us a lot of scenarios and hands-on experiences. Indeed, my expectations have been over met” he added.

The Managing Director of JABEEB Consult Ltd., Engr. Augustine Juweto, who expressed his admiration for the Academy’s serene and conducive learning environment, compared it with what is applicable abroad.

According to him “Years back when I came here for some courses, the facilities were moribund, now I can comfortably say that there is one hundred percent transformation of all the facilities; the environment is serene and conducive to learning, this is comparable to what is applicable outside this country. The Rector has done wonderfully well, I want to really commend his efforts,” he said.

It could be recalled that the Academy, under the leadership of present Rector has sustained the track record of training officials and students of several other organizations and Maritime Training Institutions, MTIs such as  Bricks Mursten Mattoni,  Joemarine Institute of Nautical Studies and Research Effurun, Delta State Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko and several others even as the Rector throws his doors and arms open to welcome, collaborate and work with others for national development.