Covid-19: Maritime Academy of Nigeria shuts down academic activities

Following the global widespread of Covid-19 pandemic, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom State has shut down academic activities pending when the pandemic subsides.

Disclosing this to newsmen on Monday after receiving the President-General of the Oron Union in the Academy, the Rector of MAN, Commodore Duja Effedua (rtd) stated that the need to be cautious precipitated the decision of the Academy to send home its cadets due to the ravaging trend of the disease.

According to Commodore Duja Effedua, “We had to shut down the Academy on Friday because we are most vulnerable to the spread of the Covid-19 disease, but most people don’t know that. Cameroun is just about an hour away from us by water and the borders are so porous, so we would not want a situation where our cadets will be exposed to this disease.

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“Again, we have seafarers who come here often, and we don’t know where they have been to or where their ships have called at. It was because of this that we asked all the cadets to go home on Friday.

“We have asked the Mandatory Short Course students and cadets to go home. It’s not like we cannot manage them, but we don’t want to take the risk because these cadets come in contact with people that go to town.”

On the visit by the President-General of Oron Union, the Rector stated that the Oron Union leadership has just been sworn in and are on a familiarisation tour of the Academy.

“The Oron Union leadership has just been sworn in and is here on a familiarization tour. We would have even cancelled this visit due to the Coronavirus pandemic but had to decide it will be the last visit pending when the Corvid-19 outbreak subsides,” the MAN Rector added.

Earlier, the President-General of Oron Union, Bishop Etim Ante eulogized the Rector for the transformation of the Maritime Academy, commending him for the creation of an alternative route for the host community and the establishment of a Naval Unit between Udung Okung and Idua communities.

In the words of Bishop Etim Ante, “The Naval Unit has provided adequate security and reduced criminal activities in the Academy and surrounding environment.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE