How maritime academy saved N1.8bn in one year, by Effedua

Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Duja Effedua has disclosed that about N1.8 billion was saved by blocking wastage and reckless disbursements within one year.

Effedua, in a chat with journalists further gave an insight into how the school was revived from state of near collapse in 2017 to an institution that now attracts international recognition.

The rector, who disclosed that he had five months more to complete his tenure in office, said he has surpassed what he set out to achieve through prudent management of scarce resources, prevention of fraudulent activities and blocking avenues where funds were hitherto frittered away.

He said money did not come to the academy outside of its conventional funding source, as he has been able to spend more to improve the living conditions of cadets on campus and enhance the working environment for staff and contract workers.

He said: “The academy has not received its 2021 grant from NIMASA and this is the fifth month of the year. Yet we are still surviving. The era of money sharing is over and would never happen again.

“Some of our indigenous staff are involved in the corrupt practices as they own companies through which they siphon money from the academy. All these companies were discovered and blacklisted”.

Effedua disclosed that infrastructure has evolved from the former state of multiple abandoned projects, poorly executed jobs and fraudulently approved non-existent jobs that were either recorded as completed or almost done on paper with funds released

He said the survival pool and nautical building projects were examples of contracts that lingered for over a decade before he came to complete them with befitting adjustments at reasonable costs.
on manpower development,

Effedua said his administration is prioritising training of academic staff in keeping with the vision of attaining and sustaining international recognition for the academy.

He disclosed that the school had a lopsided staff roll that is non compliant with federal character principle.

According to him, out of the 575 employees, 400 were from Akwa Ibom State, of which 380 were said to be from Oron.

The rector said a staff audit also exposed some employees who got into the academy with fake credentials and certificates in courses that are not in anyway relevant to maritime training and education, like theatre arts and forestry.

He said the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) waded into the fake certificates issues, which has caused about 18 persons believed to be affected to abscond from duty.

In addition to the technologically driven teaching and learning system in place the rector said the school has the best simulators amongst its peers in West Africa.

The rector said its full mission bridge and engine room as well as multifunctional classroom simulators are state-of-the-art assets of the academy.

He also reconfirmed that the school has taken delivery of its ocular vision simulator, while preparing to receive the helicopter escape underwater equipment soon.

Responding to question on the recent online report alleging money laundering against him by one Adamu Jibrin, the rector said the allegation of money laundering is non existent with him and that those running to town with the story were only feasting on nothing.

According to Effedua, the move by Jibrin is one among the many harassments and attempt by faceless persons to draw a battle line with the rector.

He disclosed that over 6,500 petitions were written against him in the last three years and so far more than 50 have been written this year by mostly fictitious characters that are unidentifiable and traceable

He said during the Easter holidays, several Oron youths published a fake news on Facebook whish started that he was in Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody with report that he was dead.

Effedua said he remains resolute in improving the academy in the face of these distractions and would ensure that these individuals would face legal actions after the Judicial Service Union (JUSUN) strike.

He said some communnity leaders and few local politicians in Oron see the academy as their cash cow and therefore feel entitled to better life from the school’s resources.

Their grouse , according to the Rector, is that he denied them access to funding, as they blame him for blocking them from the academy where they make money from over the years.

“Jibrin has been reported to the DSS and the police. It is apparent that the petition writers in Oron, who are now very hungry are the same persons propagating falsehood to assassinate my character as they are so scared that I could be given a second term and that would spell doom for them” Effedua said

Effedua’s said his continued stay in the academy will keep food away from the cabal who have refused to work but see the academy as a cash cow to feed from.

He said their struggle was viewed as a case of corruption fighting back in a system where positive change and unprecedented development have come to stay.

The rector disclosed that the school has consistently enjoyed more international recognition in recent times from international bodies like The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)

Effedua said the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has also donated 200 units of very high quality books to the academy, adding that Veritas has also promised to do same in future soon.