Visiting members of the House Committee on Maritime Administration, Education and Safety on Wednesday gave commendations for what they described as outstanding development in the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron Akwa Ibom.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, while on oversight duty with other members, extolled the commitment shown by the Academy’s Rector, Commodore Duja Effedua(Rtd), to building both infrastructure and other critical resources for learning in the Academy.
She said that the Rector had worked committedly towards the speedy realisation of the committee’s objective, which according to her was to bring the Academy at par with similar institutions of the world.
“We were here this time last year, coming here again this year, the place is looking totally different. A lot of work has been done and a lot still going on. As a committee, one of our main objectives is to make the Academy an international institution and I must say that we are very happy with the Rector for keying into that vision,” she said.
The committee chairman said she was particularly impressed with the quality of instructors and educational infrastructures put in place by the Rector, and expressed confidence that the Academy could soon begin exchange programmes with other countries of the world.
While reiterating that competence would be considered over politics in future appointments in other agencies in the country, the Committee Chairman pledged the committee’s total support at ensuring sustainability of the Rector’s laudable achievements in the Academy.
She said, “The Rector has been here for just three years, what he has achieved so far shows that he is visionary, competent and passionate about what he is doing here. So, as a committee, we are going to support him to ensure that he continues what he is doing.”
Earlier, the Rector had thanked the committee members for their support and interest towards ensuring the Academy regains its pride of place in the comity of maritime institutions.
Briefing them about the reforms under his watch, the Rector said: “Our Classrooms and Lecture Theatres are fitted with Smart Boards and other educational facilities to create a conducive to learning environment for the Cadets. During the lockdown period, we were the first institution in Nigeria to broadcast live lectures to our Cadets.”
Desirous of making the Academy an international institution of no mean repute, the Rector has provided free manuals and laptops for all the Cadets and has also engaged foreign instructors.
With critical learning facilities put in place, Effedua said: “the Academy has never had a working Simulator before, we now have three latest simulators, one of them is a multi-classroom which can take up to 30 Cadets at once”.
Cadets’ hostels have been remodeled to ensuite with just two occupants per room, unlike before when about 18 Cadets occupied one room.
The security architecture has been enhanced and the Rector explained: “our surveillance is fantastic from the gate the security personnel can view the whole of Academy and some parts of the town.”
For over 40 years of its existence, the Academy had not witnessed the kind of unprecedented transformation, which has happened within the three years of the present Rector’s administration.
Facilities visited included Survival Training and Swimming Pool, Lecture Theatres, MAN Jetty, Auditorium and the new Nautical Building.
