The Maritime Academy of Nigeria is stepping up efforts to get cadets engaged and possibly retained after their mandatory one year on-board period.
Commodore Emmanuel Duja Effedua, Rector of the academy disclosed this to Transport Minister,Rotimi Amaechi and members of the academy’s community during the commissioning of completed ultra modern projects on the school’s campus in Oron, Akwa Ibom State.
Effedua,who expressed concern for the plight of many unemployed excadets of the academy insisted that the Academy was presently well staffed, and added that the curricula is now structured to ensure that the students begin to get exposure to seatime training, with its attendant possibility of being retained, in their places of primary assignments, which automatically be the Nigerian ship owners.
Effedua added that the academy under him will not be distracted by unfounded criticisms by persons or groups who know close to nothing about the institution and how best to improve it.
Nigeria presently has backlog of over a thousand unemployed excadets from many maritime training institutions including MAN Oron whose plights are being addressed by Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)
A staff repositioning has not only changed work culture in the academy, but has also raised the quality of training being given to cadets to raise their standards in line with International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements and acceptable global standards.
From the ambience, modern lecture theatres, highly supervised workforce,overall cadets discipline, with improved funding sources say MAN Oron is on its way to becoming Africa’s best
The academy under his watch has strengthened ties with critical stakeholders with a view to promoting the wellbeing of its graduates long after they passed out with aims of getting them to work on-board sea going vessels.
The academy has in the past eighteen months worked closely with body of indigenous shipowners and alumni association of the school while seeking ways to enhance cadets and excadets benefits