Maritime Rector tasks committee on societal peace

The Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria,  Oron, Ambassador Joshua Okpo has inaugurated a Peace Trust Fund Committee (Ambassador Joshua Okpo Peace Trust Committee) with a charge on members of the Committee to promote peace in the society.  

Speaking during the inauguration of the Committee at the nation’s prestigious maritime institution, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, last Friday, the Peace Ambassador expressed concern over the tense atmosphere surrounding the forthcoming general elections and urged members not to relent on their role of being agents of peace in their spheres of influence.

“Nigeria is going through trying times, elections are coming, the drums of war are beating, preach peace wherever you go. This Country, our Country must remain one,” he stressed.
 Ambassador Okpo explained that from the day the Ambassadorial status was conferred on him, he had ceased to be a private person and expressed optimism over the capability of persons in the Trust Fund to deliver. 

The Administrator par excellence, whose administrative ingenuity has earned him several accolades across the globe, identified dedication to duty and hard work as the needed recipe to fast track global peace mandate, which is the basis for which the Committee was being established.  

Okpo noted that considering the global nature of the award, the selection of Committee members was based on their excellent personality and humane nature and therefore urged them to liaise with other Human Rights and Peace Organisations, to scout for both human and material resources and also raise funds within and outside the Country for interventions where necessary. “You are to raise funds within and outside the country with the sole purpose of committing the funds to the wellbeing of mankind. You are also to intercede on issues that bother on refugees, war victims and all other people who are deprived or rejected in one way or the other,” he emphasised. 

  Ambasador Okpo urged the Committee to establish a working Secretariat in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States which will create channels of communication with other humanitarian Organisations the world over, in a bid to actualise its mandate.  

Also speaking, the visibly elated Acting Registrar of the Academy, Barr. Asuquo Ntekim, expressed joy over the conferment of the global award on the Rector, adding that it was a well deserved honour and thanked the Ambassador for placing the Academy on the world map through his administrative acumen. He said, “To be associated with this assignment we are really grateful and thankful to His Excellency for considering us worthy to pilot this ship with him.  

Glowingly appraising the Rector’s giant strides in the Institution, especially his role at instituting peace in the immediate host communities of Eyo Abasi and Idua, Barr Ntekim affirmed that the Management is proud to be associated with him.  

Analysing the biblical emphasis on love, the Acting Registrar added that the greatest thing one could do to humanity is to love and care for the poor which according to him is the objective of the Trust Fund Committee. “Anybody that has deficiency is poor, so taking care of the poor is one of the greatest things one can do and this is exactly the objective of the Committee,” he observed.
Accepting the responsibility, the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Kevin Okonna Okonna thanked the Peace Ambassador of the United Nations for the confidence reposed on his Committee and emphasised that they will spread the message of peace wherever they go.  

Okonna who is the Ag Director, MAN CONSULTs, noted that the Committee has a duty to deliver on the its Terms of Reference. “Much is expected from the Ambassador, quite a lot is expected from the embassy, so by our inauguration as members of the Trust Fund I fully accept the responsibility that it is the Trust Fund that will propel the objectives and values of that embassy,” he maintained.  

He promised that the Committee would do everything possible within its power to ensure success on its mandate of contributing to world peace. “I want to again, on behalf of the Committee members appreciate you and thank you for this responsibility and also make a solemn promise that accord with the objectives of achieving world peace that we will put in our best to achieving the Terms of Reference of this Trust Fund,” he assured.  

Dr. Okonna formally congratulated Ambassador Joshua Okpo on his high level achievements which have placed him and the Academy in general on the global map. He emphasised that the ambassadorial status conferment on the Academy’s Rector is a reward for his passion towards the development of humanity.  

Members of Ambassador Joshua Okpo Trust Fund Committee are: Dr. Kevin Okonna (Chairman), Barr. Asukwo Ntekim, Mrs Atim Ikara, Mrs. Odo Ansa, Mr. Siddi Mkpandiok, Mr. Okon B. Okon, Mr. Sunny Okwong Udo, Rev. (Dr.) Isangedighi, Chief Victor Matthew, Engr. Mike Okpo, Barr. M. Emordi, Chief Eyo Edet, Mr. Femi Agoye and Elder Edet Okpo (Secretary).

It will be recalled that on the 3rd of January 2015, an arm of the United Nations, The International Organisation of Advocates for Global Peace and Development recognised the Rector, the then Mr. Joshua Okpo as a Global Peace Ambassador in an event which would best be described as mother of events for the year.