The Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Zaynab Kure on Monday commended the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa-Ibom State, Mr. Joshua Okpo for the pace of development that has taken place between 2012 when they last visited the Academy and now.
Kure who made the commendation during an oversight visit to the Academy according to disclosed that the committee was at the Academy to see the level of progress the Academy has made with its on-going projects as well as to see the facility up-grade.
Senator Kure who was conducted round the three phases of the academy along with other Committee Members to inspect projects and facilities expressed satisfaction with the Rector over the level of work done at the Academy commending the Rector and the Management for providing more classrooms, improvement in the facilities in the Electrical Workshop, telecommunications Laboratory as well as the 120-270 degree full simulator.
After the inspection of project, Senator Kure noted that with what the Committee members saw at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, the country would be able to compete with any Maritime Academy outside the country.
She however assured Maritime stakeholders and Nigerians in general that the Academy has commenced work on the degree awarding status; the approval for a degree awarding status she noted would be given to the Academy in the next few weeks.
She maintained that although the Senate Committee on Marine Transport pushed for an upward review of the 5 per cent statutory allocation from NIMASA to MAN ,Oron but did not succeed , She however noted that the Committee got N2billion intervention fund for the Academy out of which N1billion was released.
She noted however, that her Committee would work further on increasing the statutory allocation to the Academy by NIMASA. Similarly, she noted that efforts were on to acquire ship for sea time experience for the cadets.
Amongst the projects inspected were 12 units of three bedroom twin bungalow, 200 capacity male hostel, Simulator building, telecommunications laboratory, boat yard, Fire bay, clinic, electrical laboratory workshop, MAN-Consult, new HND classes, New Bursary building, Refectory and so on.
