Oron elders decry failed take-off of maritime university four years after establishment

A group, the Oron Stakeholders Forum, has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the immediate operationalisation of the University of Maritime Studies Oron (UMSO) in Akwa Ibom State by appointing the institution’s principal officers.

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The group decried that the institution, an upgrade of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, has not transitioned into a university almost four years after the bill for its upgrade was passed by the National Assembly and signed by the president on 16 February 2023.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, a spokesperson for the group, Emmanuel Onwioduokit, professor of economics, called on Mr Tinubu to direct all relevant ministries and agencies of government to conclude all pending implementation processes.

“We request the immediate appointment of a vice-chancellor and principal officers, full constitutions of the governing council, clear directives to all relevant ministries and agencies to conclude pending implementation processes, publication of a transparent operational timeline with measurable milestones and administrative review of all delays associated with the implementation process,” Mr Onwioduokit said.

Speaking, the chairperson of the group, Asukwo Obon, said the Minister of Education has written to the president to appoint a vice-chancellor and other principal officers for the university.

Mr Obon said the group has also engaged the national assembly, which also invited the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Ministry of Education, asking them to conclude the process in three months.

“That was in 2024,” he said. “To date, nothing has happened.”

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Academy opposes transition

Meanwhile, the governing council of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria and the Rector oppose the transition.

Just last month, the chairperson of the MAN council, Kehinde Akinola, cautioned stakeholders against the push to convert the academy from a specialised institution into a conventional multidisciplinary university.

Mr Akinola insists that the academy’s strength lies in its specialised programmes, industry linkages, global recognition, and hands-on training, and adds that any action taken should first consider whether such a shift would enhance or weaken the institution’s core mandate.

“Converting the academy to a university would undoubtedly bring changes, but we must consider whether this shift would enhance or dilute our focus. Our strength lies in our specialised programmes, industry connections, global recognition, and hands-on training. Let us leverage these strengths to drive innovation and growth,” he had said.

READ ALSO: SPECIAL REPORT: Nigeria’s maritime university upgrade stalls as billions flow into repealed academy

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the government continues to allocate billions into the Maritime Academy of Nigeria despite the institution’s legal repeal and replacement by the university.

Between 2021 and 2024, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) remitted N12.21 billion to the institution. Records from NIMASA financial statements show that in three years alone, the agency remitted N12.21 billion to the academy.

Under Section 16(2) of the NIMASA Act, the agency must remit at least 5% of its annual revenue to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria. This provision has generated billions of naira for the academy.