FG To Upgrade Maritime Academy

The Federal Government, has reiterated its determination to upgrade the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom, to address manpower in the emerging maritime sector.

Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, the Assistant Director, Press, Ministry of Transport, made this known to newsmen at a meeting of the National Council on Transport in Markurdi.

“The government is not unaware of the shortage of seafarers in the maritime industry. That is why the government is making plans to address the issue.

“It is trying to upgrade the only government maritime academy, which is based in Oron, Akwa Ibom.

“It has set up a committee to come up with ideas to transform the academy to a degree awarding university.

“The committee is expected to turn in its recommendations soon,’’ Oladunjoye said.

He said that to complement the academy at Oron, the government would establish more of such academies in the country.

He recalled that during the last presidential retreat on the industry, one of the issues looked at was how to generally improve the maritime sector.

He said that the incentives put forward by the committees would definitely boost activities in the industry.

According to him, this will ultimately require that more personnel are needed.

“That is why the Ministry of Transport is trying to resuscitate the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Training School that has been abandoned,’’ he said.

This Oladunjoye said the training school would function on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.