House of Reps Committee to Investigate Abandoned Projects at Maritime Academy

The House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education, and Administration has announced its decision to investigate contractors who abandoned projects at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State.

This resolution came following a presentation by the Rector of the Academy, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua (retd), during the committee’s oversight function to the Academy.

Chairman of the Committee, Khadijah Bukar Abba Ibrahim, stated that all contractors who abandoned projects since the inception of the institution would be scrutinized to ensure accountability for funds received. She emphasized the need for transparency and deterrent actions against such practices in the future.

Represented by the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Hon Uduak Ududoh (PDP, Akwa Ibom), Hon Ibrahim emphasized the committee’s commitment to addressing the issue, stating that the practice of abandoning projects after taxpayers’ money had been paid was unacceptable.

The Chairman also urged the Rector to identify and expose staff members involved in any malpractices or leakages within the institution. She emphasized the importance of taking appropriate action against those responsible to deter others from engaging in similar misconduct.

Expressing concern over the non-payment of the statutory 5% allocation from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to the Academy for over a year, the committee resolved to summon the leadership of NIMASA to address the issue.

During his presentation, the Rector highlighted the infrastructural decay within the academy, revealing that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) had threatened to delist the Academy as a training center for maritime students due to the poor state of facilities. He attributed this decay to the neglect and mismanagement of the institution’s affairs by previous administrations.

The committee’s decision to investigate abandoned projects and address issues of mismanagement underscores its commitment to ensuring accountability and improving the state of maritime education in Nigeria. It is expected that the committee’s actions will lead to reforms and improvements within the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, ultimately benefiting students and the maritime industry as a whole.