By Godwin Oritse

AHEAD of the November general election of the International Maritime Organization, IMO, the   Federal Government has constituted a Committee on Nigeria’s return to the category ‘C’ of the United Nation’s agency.

Dakuku Peterside

Disclosing this to  Vanguard Maritime Report  in Oron, Akwa-Ibom State, Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Commodore Emmanuel Effedua, said that virtually every parastatal under the Ministry of Transport are making efforts to ensure that Nigeria, as a maritime nation, is re-admitted into  the Council of the IMO.

Effedua who frowned at the negative comments from maritime stakeholders that can truncate the Nigeria’s re-admission added that all efforts should be geared towards Nigeria’s move to the Council.

He was particularly irked by comments attributed to the President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Captain Tajudeen Alao, who was reported to have said that the academy did not have the right academic personnel to teach certain courses.

He explained that comments from a man like Captain Alao are taken seriously because he represents a critical group of stakeholders.

On the importance of the academy’s activities to Nigeria’s effort at the IMO Council, Effedua explained that the United Nations agency is interested in the quality of training that the academy is giving to its cadets.

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He said, “The IMO will want to know what quality of training you are giving, they also want to know the kinds of equipment you use for these trainings.

“What is the calibre of your lecturers, can they go to another maritime institution to teach, what about your simulators, what are your teaching facilities like, are they world class, these are some the questions they asked when they audit us.

“That is why NIMASA is not sleeping, that is why Dakuku left his office to come and see things at the academy for himself.

“That is why the Minister of Transport is also not sleeping, off-course, a Committee has been set for this November Election.

“Everybody is working hard, even the maritime stakeholders are working NIMASA is consulting with them.

“That is why I am angry with Alao, with all these efforts, why would he make such statements.”