To the Rector of the Academy, Mr Joshua Okpo, keying into the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan explains why he has taken the bull by the horn in his efforts at giving the Academy a facelift.
In just two years in office, the Rector has changed the landscape of the institution beyond the imagination of all doubting Thomases, thereby enriching the confidence of the Maritime stakeholders on the wherewithal of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, in producing seafarers capable of meeting the 21st century shipping challenges.
Recently, the Federal Government further boosted the image of the Academy by making it a fertile ground for the training and rehabilitation of Niger Delta ex-militants. Having been trained in safety courses in the Academy, the ex-militants can now be, gainfully engaged and integrated into the mainstream of the nation’s economy. About 45 Amnesty Trainees passed out in flying colours after an intensive training in Disaster Management and Industrial Safety courses. Mr. Okpo’s professional approach to the Academy’s strategic development and training initiative is commendable.
In his remarks the Rector of the Academy, Mr. Joshua Okpo, expressed gratitude to President Jonathan for the confidence reposed on the Academy and its leadership.
He assured the government of the Management’s resolve to do everything within its reach to drive the President’s Transformation Agenda in the Maritime Sector to a logical conclusion.
Okpo noted that the gesture which the President has extended to the ex-militants will foster a lasting peace in the Niger Delta region and called on the graduate-trainees to be good ambassadors of the institution, the region and the country at large.
Mr. Okpo also commended the lecturers of the Academy for their commitment to duty especially in their effort at instilling liberal values on the trainees saying, they now posses special skills that put them at par with their counterparts elsewhere in the world.
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Mosilo Global Services, Mr. Moses Siasia hinted that the initiative on training the amnesty beneficiaries was conceived some years back out of his concern for the deplorable staff strength condition of an agency saddled with the constitutional responsibility to respond to cases of emergency in the country, that is the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA.
Siasia decried a situation where just 500 staff were charged with the responsibility of salvaging emergency situations in a country of over 170 million people, stressing that the idea of training and deploying more young Nigerians to serve in the nation’s emergency sector would enable the agency function optimally.
He further acknowledged with delight the new face of the Academy considering the magnitude and quality of ongoing projects dotting its landscape.
Siasia, who is also the Chairman, Niger Delta Young Professionals said agreements have been reached with Nigeria Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA), and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), to engage the services of the trainees gainfully.
He also scored President Jonathan high on his commitment towards the success of his Transformation Agenda and challenged the trainees to take advantage of the opportunity granted them through the training to re-launch themselves positively into the society.
In his word “It takes a man of vision to turn something around, I believe what I am seeing is the handwork of good leadership”.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Matters, Mr. Kingsley Kuku who commended the late President Yar Adua’s decision in granting amnesty to the Niger Delta militants expressed appreciation to President Jonathan for keeping the vision alive.
Kuku, represented by Barr. Kesta, expressed satisfaction for the disciplinary action that was taken on some erring trainees while also advising graduate-trainees against engaging in acts of criminality.
He extolled the virtues of the Rector, Mr. Joshua Okpo for providing a conducive environment for the training as well as ensuring a successful training session. He noted that government believes so much in the programme which explains its huge financial investment to ensure its success.
On their part, the visibly elated graduates through a vote of thanks by Mr. Sunday Iroham, admitted an appreciable level of gratitude to the Federal Government, the Management and the lecturers of MAN, Oron, for accepting them, believing in them and giving them a second chance, which they agreed was precious to them and promised never to let the Federal Government down.
Iroham affirmed that integrating them into the mainstream of the nation’s economy has given them the needed opportunity to contribute positively towards the development of the country, an opportunity he emphasized would not be misused stressing that it would be written on the table of their hearts for the rest of their live.
The high points of the event were the presentation of certificates to successful graduates of the programme and the announcement by CEO, Mosilo Global Services, of automatic employment for the first 10 graduating trainees in various agencies while the best three graduating trainees were automatically adopted for further studies in the World Maritime University, Malmo, Sweden.
As the sun turns away its reflection from the venue of the event, focus is now on the graduate trainees to translate the efforts of the Federal Government and that of the school Management into tangible terms, by making sure that they use the knowledge gained to drive the Maritime sector in particular and the nation as a whole to greater heights.
Government, it is believed continue to adopt a pragmatic approach to her Capacity Building initiatives to enhance proper integration of the graduating amnesty trainees into the mainstream of the society to avoid a relapse.
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