greatiyk4u:
Hmmmmm

ahaz:
the stupidity of we Niger deltans is printed in black and white.

SkyBlue1:
The focus of any issues with this should be purely from the logic of arguments against proceeding with it, and not uneccesary sectional sentimentalism that has gotten us nowhere after over 50 years. Amaechi was hired to be Minister of Transportation for Nigeria and not for the Niger Delta, there is a Ministry of Niger Delta and a Ministry of Education if you feel so passionate about it. With the current economic climate I don't understand what the ministry of transport should be doing building universities, issue has never been about number of universities we have (specialist or non specialist) but about the quality. If we can focus on improving the one we have to world class standard with the limited resources we have no, then that makes sense. The title of the thread already tells you where this is going - "our brother our brother our oil our suffering".

Eshinwaju:
If Amaechi was behind this cancellation....then he needs to step out and explain...

TonyeBarcanista:

NCAT, NITT, NMA and proposed NMU are under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Transport. Nigeria Civil Aviation authority funds NCAT, while NMU(proposed) and NMA are under NIMASSA.

These are specialised institutions. Is Law School under Ministry of Education or Justice ministry?

SkyBlue1:
The focus of any issues with this should be purely from the logic of arguments against proceeding with it, and not uneccesary sectional sentimentalism that has gotten us nowhere after over 50 years. Amaechi was hired to be Minister of Transportation for Nigeria and not for the Niger Delta, there is a Ministry of Niger Delta and a Ministry of Education if you feel so passionate about it. To add to that, being a Minister is not even an elected position so he has no constituency that can demand whatever they like, he is answerable to Nigeria as an entity.

With the current economic climate I don't understand what the ministry of transport should be doing building universities, issue has never been about number of universities we have (specialist or non specialist) but about the quality. If we can focus on improving the one we have to world class standard with the limited resources we have now then that makes sense. Look at the top 1000 universities in the world and tell me how many Nigerian ones make the grade. But the title of the thread already tells you where this is going - "our brother our brother our oil our suffering".

SkyBlue1:


And what is the point of investing money in building and trying to sustain more substandard institutions? Why spread already scarce resources so thin in the name of having the institution in Delta? How many of the Universities built by Jonathan are even African standard talk less of World Class standard? How many Nigerian universities make the top 1000 (not 100) globally? But quality means nothing of course, as long as the ethnic myopia itch can be scratched to your satifaction. We have many universities that deliver substandard education, that is nothing to be proud of.

dollyjoy:
What is the point of building a new one when the existing ones are substandard?whatever happens to upgrading the existing ones?

TonyeBarcanista:

Who's duty is it to build university to standard? Is it not the government? If Jonathan built substandard, does that stop the incumbent from making them to standard? Which institution in Nigeria offers degree training in maritime studies? Is it not better we have one at home than keep going to Ghana and India? What's your point man?

Why not tell the government to scrap Law schools, Nda, Police Academy, Nigeria Military School, Police staff colleges, Aviation College, etc because non of them are world class.

TonyeBarcanista:
“We are not going ahead with the university project proposed by NIMASA because we have an institution in Oron, we have Nigeria Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria, and we have the Nigerian College of Aviation in Zaria which we could upgrade to a University status and NIMASA is proposing to build a new one"(Hon Rotimi Amaechi)

The above were the words of the minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibike Amaechi proposing to cancel the proposed Nigeria Maritime University project in Warri, Delta state. This project when completed will be the first and only maritime degree awarding institution in Nigeria. This project has the prospect of attracting students all over Nigeria and outside as the first choice maritime institution in Nigeria. The prospect of development that this project will attract to the people of Warri, Delta state and Niger Delta region cannot be over-emphasized.

Alas, the project that was birthed by a President from the Niger Delta region is proposed to be cancelled by a minister from the same Niger Delta region. What justification?

NMU(Warri) Not A Substitute
Though Amaechi tried to justify his position with mentions of similar institutions across Nigeria; Maritime Academy(NMA), Oron, Akwa Ibom state; Institute of Transport Technology(NITT), Zaria, Kaduna state; and College of Aviation Technology(NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna state, Amaechi failed to justify how the existence of these aforementioned institutions nullifies the need for NMU when non of the institutions are degree awarding.

For those that may not be aware, neither the NITT(Zaria), NCAT(Zaria), NMA(Oron) nor the proposed NMU(Warri) share the same scope. While NIIT deals completely with subjects and trainings relating to Transport Technology and studies, the NCAT(Zaria) deals completely with aviation matters, the Maritime Academy(Oron) has the scope of training personnel already in maritime sector and offers diploma programs to those interested in having career the sector, while the Proposed NMU(Warri) is aimed at preparing and training professionals and experts in the Maritime. The proposed NMU(Warri) has nothing to do with Aviation, which NCAT is meant to address nor the that of NITT, neither is it to take the functions of NMA(Oron) to award diplomas. In fact, the need for professionalism in maritime training has seen students moved to Regional Maritime University in Accra, Ghana to obtain maritime degrees. It is also on record that in 2009, the federal government made arrangement with Academy of Maritime Education and Training in India to train seafarers in maritime related degrees and boycotted NMA(Oron) because it could not serve the need.

If we consider all these, wouldn't it be inappropriate for Amaechi to question the need for the project?

Addressing The Amaechi Questions:
During Amaechi's speech, he asked some questions that I believe should be answered. The questions in italics were asked by Amaechi.
Who will attend the University?
Is it not obvious that the university when come to operation will provide opportunities to Nigerians that seek professionalism in the Maritime sector? Is it not to our advantage that instead of people going abroad to India, Ghana etc to study for maritime degree, Nigerians will rather take to study at home for the program?

How many parent will allow their children to go to such place where it propose to site the University?

Last time I checked, Warri is not a war-torn area neither is it in the control of terrorist. If people can live/work in Warri Refining and Petrochemical company without harm, if people can work in oil companies and servicing companies in Warri, what then is the argument of Amaechi?

What is the aim of the University that we cannot achieve in Oron where they have all the necessary infrastructure.

This is very clear... It will amount to absurdity for one to think that a maritime degree awarding institution is meant to serve same purpose as non-degree awarding institution. In fact, University of Lagos was established despite the presence of Yaba College Technology, both in Akoka because the purpose and scope of both are different. Similarly, as much as we need a maritime university, it doesn't mean that we should erode maritime academy(Oron) that serves a different purpose. In fact, it is not possible of Oron(if upgraded to university) to be awarding diplomas and degrees at the same time. No serious institution does such. Hence, Oron as a training center cannot substitute the need of NMU(Warri).

Niger Delta Leaders are Niger Delta Problems:
The NITT(Zaria) was established by the Babangida(Niger state) regime in 1986, the NCAT(Zaria) was established in 1964 under the government of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa(Bauchi state), the NMA(Oron) was established by General Olusegun Obasanjo(Ogun state) regime in 1979 and strengthened by President Shehu Shagari administration, but our own people seem not to be interested in NMU. While one group was busy inflating contract for land purchase, another person is proposing to stop it altogether. Will a Yorubaman act like that if it was to be cited in Ibadan or Osogbo? Will a Fulaniman act in such manner if it were to be in Gusau or Sokoto? We complain of "marginalisation" but we seem to be our own oppressors. NDDC was given to us by Obasanjo(Yoruba), LNG by Abacha(Kano), 13% by Abacha, Min of ND Affairs(Yar'adua), and Amnesty(Yar'adua). What significant thing have we benefitted from our own people?

It is my humble appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore the unpatriotic position of Amaechi, which is capable of causing ethnic tension in the region. I'm optimistic that his government will go-ahead with the proposed NMU, Warri.





May God Bless Us All and Bless Nigeria

JigsawKillah:
Why is Amaechi getting supporters though? I'm sure most of his supporters are Tribalists. What's wrong with The Petroleum Training Institute? Who's laying claim to it? Was it not due to the marginalization that they indigenes of Effurun staged a protest? What's wrong with Warri? And what does Amaechi mean by who'll attend it? Are there not worse universities in Nigeria?

SkyBlue1:


I will ignore your first few questions because I think that deserves a whole other discussion, in saner climes universities generate their own money through research and other means and invest it in building up capacity and improving themselves as insitutions. I will also ignore your last question because it shows you miss the point that was being made.

Now to the crux of position on this particular issue:

Your question should be why the Minister of Transportation thinks a specialist maritime university is not needed in Delta State, not nonsense about Niger Deltan scoring own goal which IRONICALLY stokes more of the uneccesary dischord you claim his actions will. At the end of the day each ministry has a budget to spend and that means prioritising what needs to be done. I am not against Maritime University if we had unlimited funds but are we saying we can't upgrade one of our already decrepit universities with the required facilities to deliver what this proposed project will?

TonyeBarcanista:
He has failed to realise that politics is local anywhere.