The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh has restated the Agency’s commitment to development of the Nigerian Maritime University,(NMU) Okerenkoko Delta State.
He stated this when a delegation from the University paid a visit to NIMASA Management in Lagos and noted that despite handing over the university to the National University Commission,(NUC) the Agency is committed to supporting NMU by completing projects it initiated in the University.
While advising the Management of NMU to seek national and international accreditations to ensure certificates from the school enjoy global recognition, Jamoh urged NMU management to seek collaboration with the World Maritime University,(WMU) amongst other specialized higher institutions of learning.
“Nigeria Maritime University can conveniently bridge the gap in terms of human capacity deficiency in the Nigerian Maritime sector. All you need to do as management is to seek collaboration with similar specialized institutions and ensure that NMU certificates enjoy global recognition. Our goal is to seek top level manpower development from NMU instead of the current situation where institutions abroad are preferred to Nigerian based.”
The NIMASA DG noted that despite handing over the University to the National University Commission, the Agency still makes budgetary provisions for NMU to ensure the completion of projects NIMASA initiated in the university. “Our belief is that a well-funded NMU will greatly enhance youth employment and engagement particularly in the Niger Delta Region of the country. Our financial commitment to NMU is based on principle of capacity development.” He said.
Commenting on the Modular Floating Dock, the NIMASA boss noted that experts from the manufacturers of the Floating Dock have been in Nigeria for over a month working on the nitty gritty of deploying the dockyard. He also informed the NMU Management that the facility will be available for students from the University for practical experience when it becomes functional.
“Experts from the firm that built the Modular Floating Dockyard have been in Nigeria for quite a while now, providing technical support and working on how to deploy the dockyard productively. When I gave them a deadline recently, I was given professional counsel not to rush the deployment. If we have waited this long, we might as well wait a while longer and ensure we don’t regret a deployment in a hurry. Our students from NMU and other institutions will be welcomed for practical experience in mechanical, electrical, welding, and other areas when we begin full operation.” he said.
