Key maritime stakeholders have appealed to the federal government to focus on restructuring and re-positioning of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Orin, Akwa Ibom state for it to regain its lost glory.
Currently, the institution is yet to have a substantive Rector since the demise of the immediate past Acting Rector; Engineer Anthony Ishiodu, a situation that stakeholders describe as unhealthy.
Speaking at celebration to mark World Maritime Day celebration in Lagos last week, former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council; Captain Adamu Biu stated that the academy was being underfunded by the government.
Biu stressed that the government has not been able to empower the foremost nautical school for it to achieve the essence of its establishment.
The master marine maintained that remuneration of staff of the academy was not encouraging, calling on government to increase workers’ incentives for them to be more dedicated to their responsibilities.
The mariner added that the MAN, Oron has the capacity to provide the required world-class seafarers.
He added that the training of seafarers was the sole responsibility of the school and there is the need on the part of government to provide the necessary platforms for sustenance growth.
On his part, President of Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN); Engineer Greg Ogbeifun re-emphasised the need for the Ministry of Transport to appoint a substantive Rector, who will immediately hit the ground running.
Ogbeifun stated that MAN, Oron has the prospects to provide world-class seafarers, adding that it can only achieve this when it has world-class facilities.
He said that it is the responsibility of the ship owners to train the cadets from the institution with government’s support.
The SOAN chair maintained that MAN, Oron has the fundamental requirement to train Nigerians to enviable level considering the fact that it has trained personnel who have occupied key positions in both private and government organisations to top management level.
Ogbeifun who also doubles as the Chief Executives Officers, Starz Group urged the Minister of Transportation and other relevant government institutions to visit MAN, Oron to interface with students and management in order to get first-hand information on issues affecting the school.
"I will urge the honourable minister and other government bodies to visit MAN, Oron to see what is on ground and hear what their challenges are"
"Government should interface with the students, interface with the management, interface with the community leaders and at the end of the day you will have a clearer picture of the problem in Oron ",he added.
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