The
minister of transport, Chibuike Amaechi, and the minister of state for
petroleum, Ibeh Kachikwu, on Monday disagreed on the establishment of a
Nigerian Maritime University, proposed for Okerenkoko in Delta State.
Speaking alongside other ministers at a
government town meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Amaechi defended
the decision of the Buhari administration to scrap the project.
Mr. Amaechi said the previous administration of Goodluck Jonathan had paid too much to acquire a site for the university.
The groundbreaking of the proposed
school at Okerenkoko in Warri south-West local government area was done
by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014.
But addressing the senate committee on
maritime on January 19, Mr. Amaechi announced the scrapping of the
project, which was to be financed by the Nigerian Maritime and Safety
Administration Agency, a parastatal under his ministry.
He cited insecurity in the area, and
said the project was a “misplacement of priority” because there are
transport institutes in Zaria (Kaduna), and Oron (Akwa Ibom), already.
On Monday, Mr. Amaechi address the case again, in response to a question at the town hall meeting.
The minister said the new government lacked the funds to continue with the university project.
Credit: Premiumtimes
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