The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has assured leaders of Oron Nation of speedy resolution of their concerns regarding the upgrade of the Nigerian Maritime Academy, Oron in Akwa Ibom State to a full fledged University of Maritime Studies in line with the law that had already been passed and gazetted.
Akpabio gave the pledge when he received in courtesy in his office, select leaders of thought from Oron Nation who were in Abuja as a follow up to an earlier meeting which they had requested to consult more widely before making their position known.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/Communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Senator Akpabio as saying: “the Nigeria Maritime Academy in Oron had already been given a University status by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and had been gazetted.
“But there were concerns whether to retain its current status of an Academy and make it a degree awarding institution like the Nigerian Defence Academy, with the benefit of maintaining its current funding streams from institutions like the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) the International Maritime Organization (IMO) or be converted to a Maritime University and transferred to the Federal Ministry of Education.
“That was the reason I sent the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South and the Member representing Oron Federal Constituency to you to weigh the options and get back to me.
“You have spoken tonight about your preference for a Maritime University and I will convey your decision to the two Ministers involved, so they can sit together, resolve it and a governing council can be constituted, a Vice-Chancellor and other Principal officers appointed and the institution can move forward,” he said.
The member representing Oron Federal constituency, Hon. Martins Esin recalled that as Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio had acquired over 100 hectares of land for the upgrade of the Maritime Academy to a University.
He said based on the complexity of the matter, he had convened a meeting with other leaders of Oron nation and another expanded meeting with other leaders of Akwa Ibom State and it was unanimously agreed that the Maritime Academy be upgraded to a full fledged University.
According to Hon Esin, “what the stakeholders of Oron and the stakeholders of Akwa Ibom State are saying is that the governing council of the University of Maritime Studies be constituted, the Vice-Chancellor and other Principal Officers be appointed so that academic activities can commence,” he said.
Also speaking Elder Statesman, Chief Okon Osung described Akpabio as a good brother of Oron nation. He recalled how Akpabio had facilitated the appointment of two Ministers from the Oron nation within four years.
According to Chief Osung, as Governor, Akpabio also made it possible for the five Local Government Areas of Oron to be recognized as oil producing areas, and appointed their sons including the current Executive Director of Projects, Hon. Victor Antai into the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) whom he confirmed had performed well as well as having appointed a son of the area as the Sole Administrator of the NDDC.
He reiterated that it was a unanimous decision of Oron stakeholders to upgrade the Maritime Academy to the University of Maritime Studies and urged the Senate President to bring the matter to a close by facilitating the appointment of a governing council and Principal Officers of the University.
Also present were the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South, Senator Ekong Sampson, member representing Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency, Hon. Patrick Umoh among others.
