The establishment of the Nigeria Maritime University was instrumental to bringing peace and reconciliation in the Niger Delta following a period of fierce agitation for economic justice in the region, said Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State.
Governor Okowa, who stated this in Asaba during a courtesy visit by Bashir Jamoh, director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said the maritime university at Okerenkoko, in Gbaramatu Kingdom of Delta State, had a stabilising effect on the people.
“Indeed, the coming of the university gave birth to peace in the Niger Delta and we appreciate NIMASA for its contribution. A lot is being done by NIMASA, particularly in Delta State, and we want you to do more,” he added.
Governor Okowa pledged to cooperate with the agency in the building of a virile blue economy in the country, with a strong maritime business base in the state.
“We are aware that the country has been having issues with ship repairs and ship building project and we will be happy to see this facilities established to complement the university. We appreciate NIMASA for scholarships given to people of Delta State,” he said.
According to a statement by Philip Kyanet, head, Corporate Communications of NIMASA, Jamoh and his management team were in the state as part of a sensitisation drive to get the buy-in of the coastal states in an attempt to develop maritime sector.
“We felt there should be a moral and political buy-in from everyone in the littoral states especially the participation, support of governments and people of the Niger Delta in the development of a robust blue economy in the country,” he said.
According to him, the maritime sector is a huge treasure trove of development opportunities that can fetch the country much more than oil, as recent studies by experts, including the World Bank, have shown.
Jamoh stated that in the last seven years, the Agency had sited three major projects in Delta State including the Nigeria Maritime University in Okerenkoko; the NIMASA Science and Technical College in Okoloba, and the proposed shipyard for ship repairs.
He called for more participation from the government and people of Delta State in harnessing of the enormous maritime potential of the region, noting that opportunities for profitable investment abound in shipbuilding, repairs and recycling business.
