The House Committee on Maritime Education, Administration and Safety has declared the Sarumi led Interim Management Committee appointed by Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi as illegal and ordered them to seize to exist.
The committee headed by Umaru Bago, which was on an oversight visit to MAN, Oron last week, congratulated the newly-appointed rector of the academy; Commodore Duja Effedua(retired), for his appointment. The rector was on ground to receive the lawmakers and showed them around the academy.
At the visit, the new Rector of the Academy; Commodore Emma Daju Effedua (rtd) also has promised to turn the fortunes of the academy within one year. He also assured the lawmakers the he would return the institution to its glorious past as one the most admired and respected maritime academy in the west and central African sub region.
”When this academy was established 40 years ago, it was the pride of the African continent. It was established at the same time countries like South Africa, Ghana and Egypt also came up with their maritime academies but 40 years down the line, we are hundreds of poles apart because we did not do the right things. We relegated standards and competence to the background and turned out cadets that cannot compete with the best in the world’’, he told his guests.
“I am here to change the narrative where cadets of the Academy are regarded as half baked and unemployable”.
Meanwhile none of the committee members showed up at the academy during the House Committee visit to avoid embarrassment.
They also warned the IMC not to award any contract as they have advertised for contract bids for jobs in the academy.
Hundreds of youths from the host local government area of the premier Maritime Academy of Nigeria , MAN, Oron in Akwa Ibom state Wednesday staged a protest over the appointment of a six-man Interim Management Committee (IMC) by the Federal Government for the institution.
The Oro youths, under the umbrella of Akpakip Eyo Abasie Youth Association said it was totally wrong that the Interim Management team was constituted to run the Maritime Academy for the next six months without a representative of the area in the management.
The youths, who described as biased the appointment, noted that the six-man interim management committee headed by Chief Adebayo Sarumi and Mr. Duja Effedua as the acting Rector of the academy was inaugurated September 6, 2017 by the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.
During the protest, the leader of the youths, Baron Iniekung stressed that the host community, not only rejected the six-man IMC, but also demanded that the academy be upgraded to the much expected maritime university.
Particular of their interest was that they do not want a non-indigene as rector of the academy denying capable hands from the area.
The Rector blamed the declining fortunes of the Academy on poor and inadequate learning infrastructure, ill equipped and motivated staff coupled with distractions from the host community. “Our host community must understand that this is a Federal Government owned institution in which all Nigerians have equal stake. It is therefore unacceptable that our host community has failed to realise that as an international institution these local bickerings must and should be insulated from the goals of the founding fathers of the Academ”, he concluded.
Chairman of the Committee Mohammed Bago in his remarks urged the Rector to justify the confidence reposed in him by President Muhammad Buhari. He described his appointment as a wake-up call and that considering his background as a Naval officer, he was convinced the Rector has what it takes to turn the institution around.
“We will support you, we will collaborate with you. We want you to furnish us with your plan of action, your road map and your assets and liabilities. What are the funds you need for sea time training? We must be able to train the best cadets who have the requisite qualifications. We want all abandoned projects completed and contractors who are being owed must be mobilized back to site ‘, he assured the Rector.
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