By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Minister of State for Transport, Senator, Gbemisola Saraki has assured that the federal government will look at the remittances of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to the Maritime Academy, Oron, with a view to resolving hanging issues.
Saraki gave the assurance in Oron, Akwa Ibom State on Thursday shortly after a facility tour of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, where she also commissioned some of the recently completed projects.
The Minister said the misunderstanding could not have been due to negligence on the part of NIMASA, adding that it is not in the agency’s pleasure to create disaffection with its partners.
Her words “Very soon you are going to hear from us how we are going to do it. It appears there is a misunderstanding on the part of NIMASA as to how these funds are supposed to be given to the Maritime Academy, Oron.
“It’s not in NIMASA’s pleasure, it’s not whether NIMASA wants to, or how it is NIMASA’s duty, it is not NIMASA to oversight it, NIMASA’s own is that you are supposed to give an amount to Maritime Academy.
“We will look into the system as it supposed to be. We are looking at a way of seeing how this ridiculous problem could go away forever. As at now, it is not working. The many things that have not been answered on funding, amount, how remitting is done and when it is done.
“We will sit together, Independent of Maritime Academy and NIMASA to look at the problem and find solution because sometimes it seems we have a misunderstanding. We will make it very simple for everybody so that there would be no area that we are confused” the Minister said.
Commissioning the 200 Capacity ensuite hostel named after an Akwa Ibom born Maritime expert, Mrs Mfon Usoro, the Sen. Gbemisola Saraki Sports Pavilion and the Hon. Lynda Chuba-Ikpeazu Mini-Auditorium, the Minister applauded the Academy Rector,.Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua (Rtd) for recognizing and rewarding hardwork.
She expressed satisfaction with the quality of infrastructures put in place in the Academy, and commended the present leadership of the Academy, Oron led by the Rector, Navy Commodore Duja Effedua (retd)
The Minister of States used the occasion to disclose Federal government plans to use the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, to ensure Nigeria dominate the rest of Africa when it comes to Seafarers, through quality training
Earlier, the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron,. Commodore Duja Effedua (Rtd) said the decision to name some of the recently completed projects in the Academy after women who have distinguished themselves in the sector was to motivate other women to work work hard.
