Oro Nation Youths score Rector, MAN, Oron high on performance

The  apex youth organization in Oro Nation (Nlap Isong Akpakip Oro) has scored the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN Oron, Amb (Dr.) Joshua Okpo, high on the development of the academy, and unanimously expressed deep satisfaction with his style of administration in the institution.

Ulap Victor Anwanakak, the National President of the organization who led the entire executive members of Nlap Isong Akpakip Oro, on a courtesy call to the Rector at the weekend, noted that prior to the administration of the current Rector, the academy has had a history of perennial infrastructural deficit. He added that the academy also earned a wounding image of an institution where corporate social responsibility to the host community and implementation of local content policy were never respected and implemented. He announced that Dr. Joshua Okpo’s led administration has consigned the ugly scenarios into the dust bin of history.

Ulap Victor Anwanakak and his exco members who were conducted round the Academy on facility tour, maintained that the Rector has transformed the landscape of the academy through quality infrastructure, state-of-the art facilities and holistic repositioning of the school in line with global best standards.

The body stressed the need for all Oro sons and daughters to support Joshua Okpo-led Management in the academy, explaining “from what we have seen on ground, there is need for all Oro people to support the Rector. It takes only a man who loves a place to invest such energy and resources Joshua Okpo is investing in the development of this academy” the body noted.

In their separate comments, the Vice Chairman of the organissation, Ulap John Obisung, Director of Media and Publicity, Ulap Esu Amba, Barr. Godwin Ettah and others spoke glowingly of Joshua Okpo’s purposeful administration in the academy and urged him to make a concerted effort in upgrading the status of the institution. The body stated that Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron being the only viable federal institution in Oro nation was very strategic to the communal and corporate interests of Oro people, hence the rationale behind their visit.

The National President of the Organisation hinted that Nlap Isong Akpakip Oro now remains the apex and umbrella youth body for Oro Nation, having been established on March 21, 2015 by the highest authority in Oro nation- the Council of Oro Traditional Rulers (COTR) in collaboration with Oro Union. According to him, “this was done after the proscription of the crisis-ridden and irredeemable factionalized ESSU Nlap Oro by the council” The body prevailed on the Rector to incorporate its members into the scheme of things in the academy, through employment and other parts of the Academy’s Corporate social responsibility to its host community.

The youths also vowed to deal decisively with any person or group of persons whose actions are capable of dragging the name of the academy or its management staff into disrepute.

Earlier in his remarks, the Rector, Ambassador (Dr.) Joshua Okpo thanked the Executive members of Nlap Isong Akpakip Oro for their visit, and described Oro youths as critical partner in the development of the Academy. Dr. Okpo informed the youths that he has remained resolute and purpose-driven in calming frayed nerves within the Academy Community, sanitizing the institution and putting it on the path of growth and sustainable development.

The academy Chief Executive stressed the need for peaceful co-existence, adding that no meaningful development can thrive in an atmosphere of violence.

 The Rector called on Oro youths not to destroy the academy by fanning ember of ethnicity, disunity, embarking on blackmail, character assassination, campaign of calumny, but protect the institution and see it as the property of the federal government in their domain.  

On the upgrading of MAN, Oron, Amb. Okpo told the youths that what is more important is to secure a degree-awarding status that will accommodate lower level manpower, middle level manpower and higher level manpower, not a conventional university as being canvassed by few uniformed persons.
He stated that MAN Oron, being a specialized and highly technical institution, takes its accreditation from various renowned institutions such as International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Standard of Training Certification and Watch-keeping (STCW), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Coast Guard, among others.

The Rector further explained that Certificate Competency (COC) is what makes MAN, Oron different from other institutions, adding that COC helps the cadets to go to Sea and also gain international acceptance, before proceeding for a degree programme.

He announced that the envisaged degree-awarding status would not follow the NUC model, but acceptable global model that accommodates Certificate, National Diploma, Higher National Diploma, Post Graduate Diploma and degree programmes; adding that MAN Oron is a technical institution with clear-cut mandate to train and nurture seafarers in line  with STCW guidelines.