Delta Community Protests Stoppage Of Maritime University In Gbaramantu Kingdom

Residents of Okerenkoko Federated Communities, Delta State has protested against the move by the Federal Government to stop the Nigeria Maritime University cited in Gbaramantu kingdom, Warri South Local Government Area of the State.

The protesters numbering over 1,000 who blocked the entrance of the Government House, berated the Federal government’s plan to cancel the university.

 

They described the reasons advanced by the Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi for the cancellation as baseless and politically motivated.

 

They urged the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to prevail on President Muhamadu Buhari to allow the university remain.

 

The protesters who were mostly youths carried with placards with inscriptions such as; “stop playing politics with our education”; “Mr. President if oil workers can go to this place and exploit oil, why can’t the same place play host to a university that will develop the people and the environment,”

 

Chairman of Okerenkoko Federated Community, Mr. James Tamgbowei, said Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was in the best position to talk to the President and Minister for Transport to reverse the decision.

 

 “we think that the cancellation is not working and we don’t want it because is a thing that would benefit the entire Nation, particularly Niger Delta people and Deltans”.

 

“The school belongs to the whole world and not even Nigeria alone and that is the pain we are having hence this protest. We have been writing series of letters but we feel that we should take further step by this protest so that the President and the Governor will know that we need the school because it would bring development and create both employment and other opportunities for our people”.

 

One of the protesters, Mr Welfare Timinimi, said citing of the university in Okorenkoko was the best thing government has done for them.

 

He said the Gbaramatu kingdom contributes greatly to the economy of the nation and wondered why the only Federal Institution in the area is being moved out for not just reason.

 

While decrying that “its cancellation will be tantamount to wickedness, he said Amaechi is from the Niger Delta hence “we are surprised with what he is doing; we are not happy with him.”

  

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, Zone B, has also described the decision of the Federal Government to cancel the school as saddening and disheartening.

 

NANS in a press statement by the Coordinator, Zone B, Comrade Pedro Obi held that the Federal Government should rather support the move by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to offer qualitative maritime educational service to the Nigerian populace “and benefit of the maritime industry” and not “to jeopardize a perfect dream plan of greater innovation for reason that are barely irrelevant”.