The Federal Government has been urged to develop the permanent site of the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko in Warri South West Local Government Area of the state.
Delta Governor, Okowa made the call while playing host to the Chairman and members of Governing Council of the university who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Asaba.
According to him, the call had become necessary as it would go a long way in putting the university on a sound footing that would ultimately enable it deliver on its core mandate of imparting sound maritime related education on its students.
The governor disclosed that he was happy that the institution took off academic activities at the temporary site but urged the federal government to make resources available for the construction of buildings and provision of amenities that would enhance academic activities in the university.
He said that his administration would do everything humanly possible to make the institution stand out, emphasising that the birth of the special educational institution for the training of manpower in the maritime sector has strengthened peace and the economy of riverine communities.
Governor Okowa, therefore, advocated the need for more projects to be sited in riverine areas because of the inputs of riverine areas to the economy of the nation, stressing that the giant strides of his administration in the creeks and other riverine communities was to give them (residents in the areas) a sense of belonging by carrying them along in the scheme of things.
On the various requests made by the Governing Council of the university, the governor said that they would be looked into with a view to addressing some of them within the limit of available resources.
“Many times in the planning that we do in this country and even in the state, we tend to put everything in the upland ignoring the fact that there are people who exist in the riverine areas.
“We do know that the riverine areas contribute a lot towards the growth of the economy of our nation because many oil facilities actually do exist in these areas.
“So, we want to make a promise that we will continue to do the best that we can. I have noted, during your comment concerning the grant that was promised, we will try to follow through,” he said.
Earlier, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Dr. Elias Courson commended Governor Okowa for his inspiring and magnanimous support towards the take-off and continued development of the university.
Dr. Courson disclosed that it had become practically impossible to merely gloss over the pivotal roles played by the Senator Okowa led administration that sign-post the existence of the university in two broad areas of infrastructure intervention and upgrade as well as policy and advocacy.
He applauded the governor for establishing three additional universities in the state, which according to him, will provide additional access to quality education not only to Deltans but to Nigerians in general, even as he prayed the governor to lend his voice to the university’s renewed agitation for NIMASA to relocate the floating Dockyard to Okerenkoko.
The Pro-Chancellor appealed to the governor to assist the university in completing the ongoing renovation/remodelling of classroom block, construction of additional staff quarters and in providing portable water scheme all at the Okerenkoko Campus of the university.
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