The Nigerian Association of Master Mariners has thrown its weight behind last week decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to decline assent to a bill seeking the establishment of Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Delta state.
The Presidency had in a letter conveyed to the Senate last Thursday, announced that the President has refused to sign the Bill which was to legitimize the establishment of the specialised University.
President Buhari had cited source of funding for the institution as the major reason for his decline.
“I am declining my assent to the bill because the funding provisions are grossly excessive and will disrupt the operation of a number of government agencies and institutions,” the letter reads.
He added that: “Section 11 a and g and sections 12 and 13 (1, 2 and 3) conflict with mandate and functions of the National Universities’ Commission”.
But, in a swift reaction, the Master Mariners noted that the whole idea of establishing the University was wrong.
President of master mariners association ; , Captain Tajudeen Alao, argued that since the revenue that is expected to be used to fund the university will be sourced from the maritime sector, such funds should rather be used to fund the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom state.
The Master Mariners argued that maintained that Nigeria already has enough universities that can handle maritime courses, stressing that MAN; Oron can be upgraded if there is need for it instead of establishing a new university.
“You see the whole set up was wrong, primarily ‘maritime money’ is supposed to be for Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron. And when you have this primary university it has to come under the federal university set up, 5% income is supposed to be for MAN, Oron and the budget for university is supposed to come under the federal government university. Money for that university is supposed to come from the federal government university and maritime budget cannot fund it, it cannot totally fund that university”, he argued.
Speaking further, he said: “I am just trying to be objective, we have enough universities in Nigeria that are offering maritime courses like UNILAG, FUTA, FUTO amongst others , we have enough universities. But if it is a university that is based on cadet training, MAN, Oron can be upgraded to university to training technical people”.
He pointedly questioned the rationale behind establishing a new university when MAN; Oron does not have enough lecturers.
“We don’t even have all the lecturers to teach in MAN, Oron; how then do we get enough people to teach at Okerenkoko (Maritime University) and the essence of that university is beyond NIMASA”
“If they want to establish a university for oil and gas, we already have petroleum institute. I don’t know the courses they are offering there and the relevance of those courses to our needs. If it is for the shipping industry, then the shipping companies must put their monies together to fund it. Funding of such project is beyond the NIMASA capacity and the volume of the university is beyond what the federal government budget for other universities”, he stressed.
Alao maintained that the circumstance surrounding the establishment of the university in the first place was political.
“So how do we fund it is more important, we need to review the whole thing because it was political, how do we manage it maybe it is an extension of maritime academy Oron. So do we make it an extension of Maritime Academy Oron or what? Remember it is still on temporary site and not permanent site, where will the budget come from; that is the angle. If it is for technical training then how well have we improved the MAN, Oron?”
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