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The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, has lauded the Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Dr. Kevin Okonna for his commitment towards effectively implementing the Performance Management System (PMS) reform of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the institution.
Speaking during a 2-day Management Retreat and Ministerial Handholding Session for Performance Management System (PMS) and the Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) at the Academy, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Hajia Ibrahim Kalthum, who represented the Minister noted that the retreat aimed at driving a successful implementation of the PMS and ECMS in the Academy.
According to her, the Ministry embarked on these key reforms to strengthen performance, promote accountability and digital transformation across all its agencies in line with the strategic vision of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Nigerians.
Her words: “The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has, in alignment with the vision of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, embarked on a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at strengthening performance, accountability, and digital transformation across all its agencies.
“The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, as Nigeria’s foremost maritime education and training institution, must lead by example in embracing these reforms, and the Ministry is glad that the Academy is taking these key reforms seriously.”
Stating that the PMS and ECMS are fully operational in the Ministry, Hajia Kalthum said that while the PMS strategically aligns every staff and department to deliver on the Ministry’s mandate and Academy’s core objectives, the ECMS on the other hand streamlines and digitalises records, processes, and workflows, thereby promoting efficiency, transparency, and timely decision-making.
She also emphasised that the Performance Management System (PMS) was not merely about staff appraisals but fundamentally about strategic execution of tasks and that goals are cascaded seamlessly from the national level to institutional, departmental and finally to individual levels.
According to her, staff performance is assessed objectively using well-defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) while capacity gaps are identified and addressed through targeted training and development.
For the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, she noted that the reforms will translate into improved training outcomes, global competitiveness, and enhanced service delivery to Cadets, Seafarers, and Stakeholders in the maritime industry.
“The Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) represents a collective march towards digital transformation, records will no longer be buried in physical files but digitally stored and easily retrieved. Processes will be streamlined, cutting down inefficiencies and delays.
“Inter-departmental collaboration will be seamless. Data integrity and institutional memory will be preserved for future generations. This is particularly important for the Academy as it seeks international recognition, accreditation, and compliance with global maritime standards,” she said.
She further urged the Acting Rector to constitute a team of Performance Management System (PMS) Champions, who would drive participation and enlightenment of staff in the Academy to ensure full compliance.
“Every officer must take responsibility for results, be accountable, be champions of digitalisation, move away from old habits of paperwork and embrace technology, and collaboration, noting that transformation thrives when leadership and staff work as one team,” she remarked.
She assured that the Ministry will continue to provide the Academy with oversight, technical support, and periodic reviews to ensure the success of the reforms and urged participants to embrace the change and see them as enablers, not burdens.
On his part, the Acting Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Dr. Kevin Okonna lauded the Minister, Adegboyega Oyetola, for his exceptional leadership strides which is evident in the Ministry’s outstanding scores in the rating of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, CRDCU, of Ministerial Performance in the Presidential Priorities of President Tinubu.
During his presentation the Academy’s Helmsman highlighted that in 2024 Academy’s contributions to the Ministry’s deliverables included; training of 4,775 Seafarers and Dockworkers, provision of laptops and desktops to more staff to improve productivity, increased staff capacity building drive to promote expertise and improve standards, implementation of the PMS of the Federal Government to promote accountability, amongst others.
While pledging Academy’s continuous dedication to contributing its quota to the Ministerial deliverables, the Acting Rector referenced the significant role the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy played in helping the Academy secure positive responses from shipping companies and associations, for onboard training opportunities for Cadets of the Academy.
On maintenance of standards of safety courses on offer in the Academy, the Acting Rector said that the Academy is effectively collaborating with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), adding that the Academy would soon be signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central Africa Region, with respect to a course developed by the Academy for the Abuja MOU to enhance deliverables in the sub-region.
He also mentioned that Management has taken necessary steps to get the Nautical Science Cadets registered with the Institute of Nautical Studies, the Engineering Cadets registered with the Institute of Marine Engineers, Science and Technologists, (IMarEST), and the Maritime Transport Cadets registered with the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria.
According to him, this is targeted towards ensuring that all Cadets of the Academy derive tremendous benefits of membership of these professional bodies.
He also promised to deploy required resources towards the full deployment of the ECMS in the Academy.
The high point of the event was the signing of the 2025 Departmental Performance Bond by the Directors and Heads of Departments with the Acting Rector of the Academy in the presence of the representative of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Hajia Ibrahim Kalthum.
This information was disseminated in a press statement signed by Domo Umoekpe, Head of Department, Public Affairs.
