Bashir Jamoh, the director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has said that the Agency is committed to developing the Nigerian Maritime University, (NMU) in Okerenkoko, Delta State.
Receiving a delegation from the University at the NIMASA’s office in Lagos recently, Jamoh said that despite handing over the university to the National University Commission (NUC), the Agency is committed to supporting the school by completing projects it initiated in the University.
While advising the management of NMU to seek national and international accreditations in order to ensure certificates from the school enjoy global recognition, Jamoh also urged the school to seek collaboration with the World Maritime University, (WMU) and other specialised higher institutions of learning.
“Nigeria Maritime University can conveniently bridge the gap in terms of human capacity deficiency in the Nigerian Maritime sector. Our goal is to seek manpower development from NMU instead of the current situation where institutions abroad are preferred to Nigerian-based schools,” he advised.
The NIMASA DG also disclosed that despite handing over the University to the NUC, the Agency is still making budgetary provisions for NMU to ensure the completion of projects NIMASA initiated in the university.
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“Our belief is that a well-funded NMU will greatly enhance youth employment and engagement, particularly in the Niger-Delta region,” he added.
Jamoh also said that NIMASA will also make its modular floating dockyard available for students from the University to carry out practical learning when it becomes functional.
“Experts from the firm that built the dockyard have been in Nigeria for a while now, providing technical support and working on how to productively deploy the dockyard. Our students from NMU and other institutions will be welcomed for practical experience in mechanical, electrical, welding, and other areas when it begins operation,” he said.
Jamoh further disclosed that the agency was still considering the proposal to convert the NIMASA Science and Technical College Okoloba, which is currently underutilised to a campus of the Nigerian Maritime University.
On his part, Bello Dukku Salihu, who represented the chairman of the NMU governing board, said the school was in the process of signing MoU with the Ghana Maritime University.
He commended NIMASA for constantly supporting the University, and for the steps being taken to put the Modular Floating Dockyard into use.
