15th May, 2015
The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Ziakede Akpobolokemi, says the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU) will generate more than six billion dollars as revenue when functional.
He told State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday that the revenue would be generated from the training and supply of Seafarers to international maritime industry.
Akpobolokemi said the university’s licence, which was approved by the Federal Government on May 13, was an initiative of the agency.
According to him, qualified manpower will be trained in the university to guarantee sustainable manpower for the maritime industry in line with international standards.
“So, the university is intended to supply seafarers across the globe, not only our local industries.
“Youths moving aimlessly in the streets should come and study. After graduating, we will give them necessary sea times experience and the rest of them and expose them anywhere in world and let them send remittances to the government.
“I said Philippines earns annually more than six billion dollars in terms of selling Seafarers, remittances that come from selling Seafarers across the world and we have population that is useful in characteristic.
“We can do far better than the Philippines.”
He said “following the licence issued by the Federal Government, the university is now set to commence academic activities at its fully developed temporary site in Kurutie, also in Warri-South West Local Government Area”.
Akpobolokemi disclosed that about 32,600 students had so far benefitted from NIMASA’s scholarship scheme in the last four years.
He said that the agency remained committed and focused in building human capacity for the Nigerian maritime sector through strengthening of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP).
According to him, the programme is designed to train young Nigerians in various maritime professions at degree level.
“NSDP has over 2,500 beneficiaries in academic institutions in Egypt, India, Philippines, Romania and the United Kingdom; a number of whom have since graduated,” he said.
Akpobolokemi said that the agency, under his administration, had successfully established Institutes of Maritime Studies in six Nigerian universities, including university of Lagos and at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Others are sited at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, Niger Delta University, Amasoma, Bayelsa State, Anambra State University, Uli, and Federal Univerity Kashere, Gombe State.
NAN recalls that the groundbreaking ceremony of the institution, as well as the NIMASA Shipyard and Dockyard in Okerenkoko, was performed by President Goodluck Jonathan in May, 2014.