A maritime expert, Dr Olu Akinsoji, has urged the Federal Government to upgrade the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron in Akwa-Ibom state, to a degree awarding institution.
Akinsoji, a former sole administrator of the academy, who made the plea on Wednesday in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, said that upgrading the academy to a degree-awarding institution would help to build human capacities needed in the maritime sector and impinged positively on the growth of the industry.
“The Maritime Academy, where I was sole administrator at a time, is a renowned training institution which had produced quality manpower for the maritime sector.
“Now, the need to upgrade the academy into a university status cannot be over-emphasized, because there are still so many skill-gaps in the industry.
“Therefore, upgrading the academy and the provision of better facilities at the institution will help to produce more quality personnel for the sector,” he said.
Akinsoji lauded the Federal Government’s decision to go ahead with the Maritime University project in Delta, saying that the project would also enhance human capacity in the industry.
He called for speedy execution of the project and provision of adequate funding when it finally opens for students.
This, he said, would enable the institution to realize its objectives of providing qualitative maritime training. (NAN)
