Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transportation is set to begin investigation into the accounts of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) over the management of the N18 billion funds released to the institution.
The Nation reports that the minister ordered the investigation of MAN after its rector, Joshua Okpo accused the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) of not releasing funds to the institution located in Oron, Akwa Ibom State
It was reported that Amaechi summoned Haruna Jauro, the acting director-general of NIMASA to find out why the agency was not providing the five per cent funds which the academy was supposed to collect.
A source said: “The NIMASA DG was really shocked by Okpo’s allegation and he explained to the Honourable Minister that NIMASA had regularly released money due to the academy.”
At the meeting which was also attended by Okpo, Jauro informed the minister of transportation that NIMASA had released more than N18 billion to MAN, Oron between 2009 and 2014.
The source said that Jauro confirmed to the minister that since he assumed office as rector of the institution in 2011, the academy had received up to N13 billion.
The source said: “When asked by the Minister to explain what he had done with the huge sums of money released to the academy against the backdrop of lack of physical infrastructural development of the institution, Okpo was short of a convincing explanation prompting the Minister to order an immediate audit of the academy’s account from 2009 to date.”
Hajia Lami Tumaka, the deputy public relations of NIMASA confirmed that the financial engagement of the institution might soon be probed by the government.
Meanwhile, the speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara said that foreign support is needed for the recovery of funds looted from the Nigeria government’s coffers.
The Nation reports that the minister ordered the investigation of MAN after its rector, Joshua Okpo accused the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) of not releasing funds to the institution located in Oron, Akwa Ibom State
It was reported that Amaechi summoned Haruna Jauro, the acting director-general of NIMASA to find out why the agency was not providing the five per cent funds which the academy was supposed to collect.
A source said: “The NIMASA DG was really shocked by Okpo’s allegation and he explained to the Honourable Minister that NIMASA had regularly released money due to the academy.”
At the meeting which was also attended by Okpo, Jauro informed the minister of transportation that NIMASA had released more than N18 billion to MAN, Oron between 2009 and 2014.
The source said that Jauro confirmed to the minister that since he assumed office as rector of the institution in 2011, the academy had received up to N13 billion.
The source said: “When asked by the Minister to explain what he had done with the huge sums of money released to the academy against the backdrop of lack of physical infrastructural development of the institution, Okpo was short of a convincing explanation prompting the Minister to order an immediate audit of the academy’s account from 2009 to date.”
Hajia Lami Tumaka, the deputy public relations of NIMASA confirmed that the financial engagement of the institution might soon be probed by the government.
Meanwhile, the speaker of the House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara said that foreign support is needed for the recovery of funds looted from the Nigeria government’s coffers.
