FG Approves N50 Billion For Maritime University Okerekoko

The Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said that the Federal Government has approved a whooping N50 million for the take-off of the Nigeria Maritime University.
Director General of the apex maritime regulatory agency; Dr. Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi made this known last Friday during a working visit to the Delta State Governor; Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa in Asaba.

Akpolobokemi called on the governor to partner with the agency, saying that Delta state will benefit from the school in various ways.

He said the school will operate from a temporary site, adding that in no distance time it will move to its permanent site.

Akpobolokemi said that NIMASA conceptualised the idea of establishing a maritime university four years ago in order to bridge the human resource gap.

He said there is need for Nigeria to have a maritime university, adding that in time past there was none.

"Delta state has oceans, abundant human and natural resources, it is also rich in oil and gas", the DG affirmed.

He stressed there is no unique or conventional university in the state, saying that Delta State should be the beneficiary of the maritime university.

Akpobolokemi added that the NMU has some level of para-military element in it, because such schools are not purely conventional universities.

However, he revealed that part of the visit to the Delta State House is to let the government know those that have key roles to play in the school and to also engage government on issues bothering the school in future.

Responding, the Governor of Delta State Mr. Ifeanyi Okowa assured the agency of government support.

Governor Okowa said that the choice location of the maritime school is of essence, adding that the birth of the Nigeria Maritime University is a step taken in the right direction.

The governor noted that the birth of the maritime university in Delta State will bring about development of human resources in a couple of years and will bridge the gap experienced in the nation.

"I want to re assure you obviously that the state government will partner with you in ensuring the rapid development of the university", he told his guests.

The governor also stated that his administration will lay emphasis on technical education to enable people to acquire technical skills which can make them self-sufficient.

Okowa appealed to youths and leaders of the Okerenkoko community for peaceful co-existence and development of the school.

He also commended the NIMASA top brass for foresight and doggedness and for thinking outside the box.

According to him, "we have been so used to conventional universities and I will say that we need to ensure that we actually bring in practical training for our children, so that we can make them employable and sometimes self-dependent"

"We cannot afford to allow our coastal and inland waterways resources in this country to waste, the earlier we put it into use, the better for us and I hope this is a very good opportunity to call on the federal government to look into the waterways in Delta State".

He added the birth of the maritime university will bring about competition locally and internationally.

Okowa further emphasised the need for parent to re focus their children about the benefit attached to such specialised institutions, pointing out that to a large extent the conventional universities have created some level of problems in developing nations like Nigeria.

"Even when you go to our Polytechnics now you find out that they are striving more taking conventional status instead of actually like more into the practical development of the human being and until we revisit this situation nationally we will continue to create a lot of problem in terms of creating employment for our people", Okowa stated.