MARITIME UNIVERSITY, OKERENKOKO AND NEGOTIATION WITH NIGER DELTA MILITANTS: IYC BLAST ROTIMI AMAECHI AND
COMMEND IBE KACHIKWU
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide condemns the reckless and false comments made by the Minister of Transportation,
Mr. Rotimi Amaechi about the establishment of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko and negotiation with Niger Delta militants
at a town hall meeting organized by the federal government at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Monday, June 13, 2016. However, we
strongly commend the pro-Niger Delta position taken by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu. At the said
meeting, Mr. Amaechi falsely stated that Nineteen Billion Naira was used to acquire an empty plot of land for the establishment
of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko and that he is not part of negotiation with militants in the Niger Delta region. Mr.
Amaechi’s comment about the acquisition of land for the setting up of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko is completely untrue,
totally wrong and deliberately made to justify his unpopular and anti-Niger Delta opposition to the establishment of the
Maritime University.
For the purpose of records, we wish to state the facts relating to the Maritime University as follows:
1. The permanent site of the Maritime University is at Okerenkoko town in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local
Government Area and the land for this site was acquired from the Okerenkoko Community at an amount less than Two Billion
Naira.
2. After work commenced at the permanent site, the Federal Ministry of Transportation approached Chief Government
Ekpemupolo who owned a diving school at Kurutie, another community in Gbaramatu Kingdom to acquire his private diving
school to be used as temporary site for the Maritime University.
3. It is important to note that this Diving school at Kurutue was an existing school with state of the art facilities and structures
completely built. In response to the request of the Ministry of Transportation, Chief Ekpemupolo did his own valuation and
arrived at about Fifteen Billion Naira, while the Ministry of Transportation did its own valuation and arrived at Thirteen Billion
Naira. The completed diving school was then sold to the Federal Ministry of Transportation at the valuation done by the
ministry.
4. Therefore, it is deliberate mischief for Mr. Amaechi who is now the Minister of Transportation and has access to all relevant
documents to claim that land for the Maritime University, Okerenkoko was acquired at nineteen billion naira to justify his
unreasonable and unpopular opposition to the establishment of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko. The land for the university
was acquired for less than Two billion naira contrary to Mr. Amaechi’s claim. It was the temporary site, which is a completely
built up land with structures and world class facilities that was acquired for about thirteen billion naira, which again is far less
than Ameachi’s nineteen billion naira claim.
5. The IYC is of the strong view that Mr. Amaechi is aware of the facts but only deliberately misrepresenting facts to justify his
anti-Niger Delta position.
6. We strongly condemn Rotimi Amaechi’s anti-Niger Delta position and commend the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe
Kachikwu for standing with the people of the Niger Delta region and endorsing the development of the Niger Delta region. Mr.
Kachikwu clearly demonstrated to the world that he is a worthy son and representative of the Niger Delta people.
7. It is surprising that Amaechi who opposed former President Jonathan for not developing the Niger Delta region is now
leading efforts to undo the Niger Delta region in the present administration.
8. We wish to also state that Amaechi’s opposition to negotiation as a way out of the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta
region shows that Amaechi is against the success of the Buhari administration. The IYC know as a fact that it is some top
federal officials and party chieftains of Niger Delta origin in the Buhari administration like Amaechi who are against negotiation
with militants and stakeholders that are frustrating government efforts to resolve the present hostilities.
9. We call on President Buhari to completely disregard the claims of Mr. Amaechi on the Maritime University, Okerenkoko and
on moves to settle the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta region. Amaechi’s position is not in the interest of the federal
government.
Signed for the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide:
Eric Omare,
Spokesman.

Source: www.GbaramatuVoice Newspaper
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1673885486203323&id=1638629153062290&refid=7&_ft_=qid.6296071652568567648%3Amf_story_key.5839472198860992141&__tn__=%2As

The source of the news is funny. That aside, does anyone still take Amaechi words serious??