THE rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Commodore Duja Effedua, has revealed that the academy, under the last three years of his stewardship, commenced a financial audit of the academy’s finances between 2016 to 2017 in order to eliminate sharp practices in the Academy in line with global best practices and enthrone professionalism.
According to him, in a three-year score card brief made available to newsmen recently, “Aside from the financial audit which uncovered several infractions, we also established directorates and restructured departments’ as a sequel to the approval of the governing board. This led to the establishment of the Directorate of Strategy, Research and Development as well as the Directorate of Logistics in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Similarly, the Specialized Seafarers Training Centre was re-established in 2019.
“We also embarked on the creation of course files for lecturers. Hitherto, course files for lecturers were non-existent. The IMO during the last audit of the Academy in December 2017 directed that lecturers should havea course file and this directive has been complied with.
“We also introduced additional short courses for the maritime industry with the introduction of the STCW Ship Security Officer (SSO) and Port-Facility Security Officer (PFSO) courses. Also, mandatory short courses have been introduced to cadets for free. Before now cadets paid for these courses after graduation.
“We have also been able to register all deck cadets of the academy as associate members of the Nautical Institute, UK.
Similarly, all the engineering cadets have been registered as associate members of the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMEREST) UK. Their memberships of these professional international maritime bodies have given them an edge over their counterparts in other maritime institutions.
“We have also rebranded the academy’s certificate to guard against certificate racketeering and have released a backlog of certificates dating back to 2006. There were backlogs of cadets’ certificates dating back to 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015 that were abandoned and not ratified.
“However, the current management reviewed over one thousand copies of National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates, out of which over 90 per cent have been ratified, signed and released. The remaining certificates are still being processed and shall be released in due course.
“The medical centre of the academy has also been re-modelled and stocked with requisite drugs and reagents to cater for cadets’ health. Hitherto, the medical centre was an eyesore and not befitting of a healthcare facility. Efforts are ongoing to recruit additional medical doctors on contract basis to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of the Centre.
“We have also overhauled the security architecture of the academy to check criminal activities, especially theft of government properties. The Academy has equally installed intercoms to enhance communication within while Closed-Circuit Television cameras have also been installed around the Academy.
“Furthermore, the academy’s main gate has been redesigned, reconstructed and fitted with automated modern access-control and surveillance equipment with a reception constructed and equipped with walk through metal detectors, surveillance cameras and access control devices.”
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