Rector of Maritime Academy facing N13bn fraud allegations in coma

Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Joshua Okpo, is currently in a critical state having slipped into coma after being hit by a sudden cardiac-arrest.


 Okpo was hospitalised at the National Hospital in Abuja, yesterday when the incident happened.
Recall that Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, a few weeks ago ordered the probe of the accounts of the Academy and the tenure of its Rector over the N18 billion released to the institution.
The Rector, it was gathered, incurred the Minister’s wrath when he accused the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) of starving the academy of funds.
The Minister, it was learnt, summoned the Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Haruna Jauro and demanded explanation as to why the agency was starving the academy of its statutory five per cent funds.
“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,” a report said.
Jauro, it was learnt, also informed the Minister that NIMASA had released more than N18 billion to MAN Oron between 2009 and 2014.
It was at this point that Okpo, who also attended the meeting, confirmed to the Minister that the academy had actually received up to N13 billion since 2011 when he assumed duties as the Rector of the institution, the report added.