Commodore Duja Effedua (rtd), Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, Akwa Ibom State, has restated his commitment to reposition the institution for effective academic performance.
Effedua made the expression on Tuesday in Oron when leadership of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom, visited the Academy.
”I am here to reposition the Academy, the International Maritime Organisation was at the verge of shutting down this institution, if they had done it, the effect would have been unimaginable,” Effedua said.
He said that the institution was plagued with an irregular employment process before he came on board.
”Our focus is not to pursue people out of job, we want the right things done,” he said
Effedua said that remarkable transformation had taken place in the Academy since he mounted the saddle as its helmsman.
The Rector noted that he was in the institution to add value and not to steal money.
”We have blocked all the drain pipes in the system, we are saving money to turnaround the Academy.
”I didn’t get extra funding to do the things we have done, the feats we achieved were possible because of our insistence on prudence,” he said.
The Rector explained that 80 per cent of the funds sent to the institution by the Federal Government were in the past misused.
”That is why there was no progress in 39 years. The positive developments you see here now occurred in the past three years.
Effedua said that the Academy was the best in Africa in terms of personnel, training and equipment, adding that it was aspiring to be best globally.
He said that the Academy had trained 15 men to handle equipment in the institution, adding that it would have been up to 30 men but that the COVID-19 pandemic hindered the process.
The Rector said that he had recruited 120 professionals who have added value and changed the narrative of the institution.
He disclosed that based on the interim management, which he was a member of, people who were found wanting were asked to leave the institution.
“When I came here I met somebody who read forestry. What was he doing here?”
“We also met some with fake certificates, some did not do NYSC before they got the job, some had poor attitude to work.
“We are producing quality cadets. They petitioned that we have reduced the number. It’s not true. Our job is to give you qualitative training. Our graduates now are better than previous sets because we make them do mandatory courses for free.
“Everything the cadets have is free because the money they used to steal, they can’t steal it again. It is now available for use,” Effedua said.
The Rector said he had settled about 97 per cent of debts that were on ground when he assumed duty, stressing that not even one of those that took the Academy to Court won.
