Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi,

The Federal Government has approved the appointment of a six-man team of professionals headed by the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Chief Adebayo Sarumi to restructure the Maritime Academy of Nigeria MAN.

The academy, Nigeria’s premier maritime training institution located in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, has been faced with series of crisis following the death of its substantive Rector Dr. Joshua Okpo under some controversial circumstances leading to the appointment of another acting Rector, Dr. Anayo Ishiodu, who also died under controversial circumstances two months after.

Only last week, the Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi sacked the Registrar, Mr. Nkpandiok, who was appointed acting Rector following the death of Oshiodu and appointed Duja Effedua as Rector on acting capacity.

The Minister, who spoke while inaugurating the six-man interim management committee in Abuja, said that the institution of the committee had become necessary to reposition the academy on the path of progress.

The committee was given six months to complete its assignment, is expected to supervise the restructuring academy towards effective manpower development in the country’s maritime industry.

According to the Minister, the Federal Government has also approved the implementation of the reports earlier submitted by the management committee.

Recall that some stakeholders were not comfortable with the report of the committee, an indication that its adoption might generate more bad blood among these stakeholders.

It was however gathered that the terms of reference of the committee set up in January 2017 was to among others to advise the Federal Government on the best way to restructure and reposition the academy, which has been bedevilled of myriads of challenges that have forestalled the realisation of the objectives of setting it up more than 32 years ago.

The minister therefore urged the acting Rector cooperate with the committee in its crucial assignment, which might lead to his confirmation as a substantive Rector.

“The acting Rector is expected to support and work with the interim management committee because he might only assume the full powers of a substantive Rector after the committee has submitted its work. The Federal Ministry of Transport would provide the necessary resources to enable the committee function properly”, the Minister had assured.

Meanwhile, the committee chairman, who spoke on behalf of other members, assured that the committee would deliver promptly in its mandate.