By Edet Okpo
The House Of Representatives(National Assembly) Abuja, through its
Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has expressed
strong confidence in the present Management of Maritime Academy of
Nigeria, Oron, led by Mr Mkpandiok Ante Mkpandiok and commended the
Acting Rector for giving the Academy a face lift in less than one year
in Office.
Hon Mohammed Bago, Chairman of the House Committee on
Maritime Safety, Education and Administration made the commendation on
Monday, this week when he led other members of the National Assembly to
the Academy on facility tour.
The visibly elated House of
Representatives Member, expressed satisfaction with the spate of
infrastructural development in the Academy and remarked ‘‘ Mkpandiok
Mkpadiok, you have upped the ante of development in this Academy when
compared with what we saw during our last visit this year.
The House of
Representatives Members Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and
Administration are very proud of you. You have demonstrated unflinching
commitment to the transformation of this institution. Keep it up. We
will assist you to take this Academy to a greater height’’, Bago
assured.
Hon Bago saluted the harmonious working relationship
between the Management and staff of Academy, explaining that the Academy
does not need an angel to run its affairs, but a patriotic,
conscientious and hardworking Nigerian like Mkpandiok Ante Mkpandiok who
would judiciously harness available human and material resources to
meet the collective expectations of Stakeholders and founding Fathers of
the Academy.
According to the House of Representatives Committee
Chairman, during the last visit to the Academy, some structures were at
various stages of dilapidation, the environment was littered with
uncompleted projects, while some facilities were out dated and the
academy environment was unkempt.
Today, these ugly Scenarios have been
consigned to the dust bin of history. We have observed with delight,
that your administration has taken steps to complete some projects,
renovated some of the buildings provided some basic facilities and made
the environment conducive for learning.
We decided to visit this
institution after our three days retreat for Legislators, Regulators and
operators in the Maritime sector and we are impressed with what we saw
on ground’’.
Speaking on Cadets training, Mohammed Bago assured
that 50% of the Academy’s cadets will be given sea time experience in
July this year while the remaining batch will be by December 2017.
He promised to liaise with relevant authorities to exempt Cadets of
the Academy from NYSC participation since the institution is highly
professional, specialized and regimented.
Earlier in his remarks, the acting Rector of the Academy, Mr Mkpandiok Mkpandiok, while welcoming members of the National Assembly to the institution, described the visit of the Lawmakers to the academy twice within one year as a sign of greater glory in the academy.
He saluted the commitment and good intensions of the national assembly members to the development of the Academy and promised to remain resolute an unwavering in rewriting the history of the academy and equipping the Cadets with the modern training skills to compete favourably with their counterparts in the global maritime market.
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