Nigerians are anxiously waiting for the full take-off of two Maritime Universities in the country. This was the position agreed by stakeholders during a Public Hearing conducted by the Senate committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND. The committee recently gathered all stakeholders to discuss on two Bills for an Act to establish the maritime university of Nigeria, Okerenkoko in Delta state and maritime university of Nigeria, Oron in Akwa Ibom State and other matters connected thereto 2016.
The public hearing was declared opened by the Senate President, Dr.BukolaSaraki represented by the Majority Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan. The Senate President said the 8th Senate is committed to ensuring speedy passage of the bills for the establishment of the two important maritime institutions in desirous of further exploiting the nation’s maritime potentials in its drive to optimize her seafaring capacity. Saraki said, the Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA) indicated that Nigeria needs about 29,000 seafarers to achieve her current local industry capacity. “The Nigeria Senate is sensitive to the social and economic plight of the Niger Delta region and its people, and determined to address these challenges through meaningful development projects, hence the eight Senate is committed to ensuring passage of the bills for the establishments of the Maritime University of Nigeria at Okerenkoko and Maritime University of Nigeria, Oron by way of assuaging some of the problems in the area”.
According to the Senate committee chairman on Tertiary institutions and TETFUND, Senator BarauJibrin, the committee is determined to make sure the two maritime universities are fully established and back up by law. He said his colleagues who sponsors the two bills, Senator James Manager for the Okerekoko University and Senator Nelson Effiong who sponsored that of MAN, Oron have carried out intensive legislative lobbying to persuade their colleagues to support these bills as such his committee called for the public hearing to get more inputs for the two bills to be pass into law.
The bills have scaled through second readings at the Senate.
During deliberations, all stakeholders express the need that Nigeria is overdue for two maritime universities and even more. According to the minister of Education, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. AdamuAbubakarRasheed, he said the NUC is happy with any attempt by anybody or group to establish credible universities. He said the NUC supports the bills seeking to establish the Maritime Universities. The NUC boss further explained that the Commission was involved in the establishment of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko in 2015, which the Federal Ministry of Transports conceived in conjunction with NIMASA, saying that former president Goodluck Jonathan gave his approval which was subsequently ratified by the Federal Executive Council. The NUC boss, however caution on the names as been too resemblance, and call on the senate to harmonize the two institutions.
Speaking on the bill for an Act for the establishment of Maritime University of Nigeria Oron, former Senator AnietieOkon said that the proposed name for MAN, Oron was Federal University of Maritime studies, Oron and not Maritime University of Nigeria, Oron as proposed in the bill. He also said that if smaller countries like Phillipines, Korea, Singapore, etc. with lower populations could have more Maritime Institutions, then Nigeria with over 180 million people needs more maritime universities.
Also contributing, the president of MAN, Oron Alumni Association, Mr. Austin Ume Zurike advice that it is better for MAN, Oron to be upgraded into a degree awarding institution, so as not to lost the professional aspect of Maritime training as enshrined in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the Merchant Navy Act, which provides for professional trainings offered by the academy.
Other contributors like NIMASA, Akwa Ibom State government and host communities all agreed to the establishment of the maritime universities. The senate committee said it will streamline the bills with all relevant contributions by stakeholders for quick passage.
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