FG To Wade Into NIMASA Remittances To MAN

15 Oct FG To Wade Into NIMASA Remittances To MAN

The federal government has said it would make a holistic review of the
remittances of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, with a view to solving the issues surrounding the releases.

The Minister of State for Transport, Gbemisola Saraki, disclosed this on Thursday during a facility tour of the Academy, where she also commissioned some new projects.

The five per cent remittances accruing to MAN from NIMASA has been irregular over the years, causing a face-off between the two institutions.

The minister said: “Very soon you are going to hear from us. There seems to be misunderstanding on the part of NIMASA as to how these funds are supposed to be given to the Maritime Academy, Oron. It’s not in NIMASA’s pleasure, it’s not whether NIMASA wants to;  it is NIMASA’s duty to give an amount to the Maritime Academy.

“We will look into the system as it is supposed to be. We are looking at a way of seeing how this ridiculous problem could be resolved forever.

“As at now, it is not working. The many things that have not been answered vis a vis funding amount, how remitting is done and when it is done.

“We will sit together with the independent Maritime Academy and NIMASA to look at what is the pertinent problem and find a solution. We will make it very simple for everybody so that there will be no area that we are confused.”

The minister stated her satisfaction with the quality of infrastructures put in place in the Maritime Academy and commended the Duja Effedua-led administration for the good work.

She also disclosed that plans are on the way to ensure Nigeria dominates the rest of Africa when it comes to training seafarers in terms of training, adding that the federal government intends to do this through the Academy.