Contrary to claims by some persons who last week led a mass protest against the Transportation Ministerial Management Committee appointed by the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi to oversee the affairs of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, the Eyo Abasi Maritime Host Community Relations Committee has condemned the action as unfair and unjustified, even as it declared that the protest was carried out by misguided persons and sponsored hoodlums who has no say in the affairs of the community.
Accordingly, the group declared its total support for the Chief Adebayo Sarumi led Committee and the initiative of the Federal Government to carry out its lawful duty at the Academy without let or hindrances, as it urged the FG to always carry along the Committee in its external relationship in order to forestall a repeat of falling victim to faceless persons who are detrimental to growth and progress.
The group also alerted the general public to the antics of some individuals who have for some time been masquerading as Oron host community leaders, and warned government officials not to allowed themselves to be swindled by these impostors under nebulous associations, noting that there is only one body known as the Eyo Abasi Maritime Host Community Relations Committee, recognized to speak on behalf of the Eyo Abasi autonomous host community.
A statement by the group signed by its Chairman, Pastor Bassey Okon Umoh and Secretary General, Comrade Etim Nyong Etim and made available to our reporter, lauded the Federal Government and the Transportation Minister, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi for taking steps to end the management lacuna in the Academy, and especially for MAN’s recent upgrade into a maritime university. The group urged the FG to fast track the implementation of the new status of the institution by immediately appointing a Vice Chancellor and other principal officers to begin the real task of transformation, following expected quick assent of the Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The group which laid sole authority to matters of external relations with the Academy and host community said it was constituted by the Supreme Council of Chiefs headed by His Royal Highness Offong Francis Eyo, Clan Head of Afaha Okpo, and presented to the management of MAN Oron on Friday 20thJanuary 2017, at the MAN Conference hall. It therefore disassociated itself from the recent protests and urge the Chief Adebayo Sarumi led Committee to go about its assignment without recourse to the alleged sponsored protest. The statement read in part:
“We congratulate you on your well deserved appointment as the Chairman of this laudable Committee. We believe your committee’s work is very challenging, but we also believe you and your highly respectable team members will surmount the challenges and put this seasoned institution in the right perspective for the benefit of motherland.
“Our attention has been drawn to the baseless, uninformed position of some fictitious, unpatriotic individuals and unproductive youth associations sponsored to incite the public against government. They spread rumour in the society by their fictitious, baseless petitions to tarnish the image of the host community.
“We hereby disassociate ourselves from the insults on the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, who we believe is working tirelessly to restructure and reposition MAN Oron to a world class institution. We strongly condemn such unfair and provocative reactions, because the individuals involved are detrimental to progress and development of Oro nation and the country at large. We urge both the HMOT and the Management Committee not to be discouraged in their duties and responsibilities to the Academy, and to always liaise with the Host Community Relations Committee for authentic information.
“Our Committee is aware of the Bill from the National Assembly passed into law for the upgrade of MAN Eyo-Abasi, Oron, to Federal University of Maritime Studies Oron, which is pending the assent of Mr. President to fully convert to a university. It is our hope that the awaited presidential assent will receive quick attention, while we look forward to the immediate appointment of its Vice Chancellor and other principal officers towards speedy commencement of the implementation and actualization of FUMS Oron”.
Apart from the group chairman, Pastor Bassey Okon Umoh, others members of the Eyo Abasi Maritime Host Community Relations Committee includes Mr. Okon Bassey Otong, Vice Chairman, Mr. Etim Uyon Etim, Sec General, Elder Nkereuwem Bassey Utok, PRO, and Hon. Ekpeyong Edet Ekpo, Treasurer.
ReplyDeleteSTORY ON MARITIME ACADEMY OF NIGERIA ORON
M
Michael Idowu
to Chris, me
18 hours agoDetails
This Okoh Bassey of a clown is a typical example of cheap journalists who run errands for perons once money change hands. He claims he works for Thisday newspapers. His silly write ups are not only one sided and coloured with lies . Why did he fail to tell the world DAT his story is stale ? He is recycling a story for pecuniary intetests. Did he tell the world that over 90% of the staff is this grossly mismanaged Federal institution are from Akwa Ibom State? And over 65% of these are from Oron? The Mkpadiok he is routing for as Rector is a non academic staff and therefore cannot be the rector? Did he mention the cadet fees of over 29 million fraud under the same Mkpadiok.? Investigation is ongoing. The same youth leaders he mentioned had since realised DAT they where deceived and are distancing themselves from the last organized protest sponsored by Mr Mkpadiok? Okon Bassey is a disgrace to Thisday Newspaper. The management must sanction this fool called Okon Bassey or he will bring them to disrepute. He never interviewed staff of the Academy and he calls himself a Journalist. Shame. The Federall Character commission must look into this institution and rationalize the staff. How can this happen and they look away. Shame to all.