Say Lack of Proper Funding, Major Problem of NMU OkerenKoko - Reps

Reps Promise to expedite action, ensure passage of bill.

DELTA: The Federal House of Representatives on Maritime Safety Education and Administration has said the major problem facing the Nigeria Maritime Academy OkerenKoko is inadequate funding and so will do it best to ensure the university is funded that the university can also compete favourably just like other universities outside Nigeria. 

The House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration disclosed that the bill establishing the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State is to be passed into law as quick as possible.

The chairman of the committee, Uduak Odudoh, gave the disclosure while addressing newsmen shortly after assessing the NMU facilities in Okerenkoko and Kurutie, during an oversight visit by the committee, where he promised the committee would expedite action to ensure the passage of the bill.

The Federal Lawmakers said, "The bill establishing the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West LG is to be passed into law soon.

"The major problem facing the Nigeria Maritime Academy OkerenKoko is inadequate funding, so we will do our best to ensure the university is funded that the university can also compete favourably just like other universities outside Nigeria. 

"We thanked the leadership of the host communities for ensuring absolute peace in the area as well as providing a large expanse of land for the University.

“We will also do everything as a parliament and include in our budget the building of a standard clinic in the university because of its distance from the upland.

"The House of Representatives would attend to all the challenges confronting the university. 

"The House committee Safety education commended the Tompolo Foundation for contributing over 40 per cent of the development of the institution and thanked the leadership of the host communities for ensuring absolute peace in the area as well as providing a large expanse of land for the University.

On his part, The Vice-Chancellor appealed to the Federal Government to build staff houses as well as ensure increased funding for the institution.

“This university was initiated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). We are pleading with them to increase the funding to enable us to have more staff,” he said.

Meanwhile, the House Committee had earlier in the day visited the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun ll, Aketekpe, Agadagba at his annexe palace in Warri to intimate him on their oversight visit during which the royal father urged the committee to ensure speedy passage of a bill that established the university and accented to by President Bola Tinubu to become an Act.