In a clear effort to further
the Niger Delta New Vision policy of the Buhari administration, the Presidency
has directed the resumption of activities towards the eventual opening of the
Nigerian Maritime University before the end of the year, in line with the
demands championed by major stakeholders in the region.
Coming as one of the several
follow-up actions to the recent Presidential level interactive engagements with
the Niger Delta oil producing communities, the prompt implementation of
directive on the re-opening of the Maritime University to the Ministry of
Education is to be coordinated by a 5-man inter-agency Committee headed by the
Minister of Education.
Other members of the
Committee will come from:
i)
The Ministry of Petroleum Resources,
ii) National
Universities Commission (NUC)
iii) Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) &
iv) Office of the
Deputy Governor of Delta State
The Committee is to finalize
the ongoing processes towards the opening of the Nigeria Maritime University in
the 2017/2018 Academic Session. The Committee will work collaboratively with
the current Principal Officers and the Governing Council of the institution.
Besides this, and in further
demonstrating its unalloyed commitment to a new vision for the Niger Delta, the
Buhari Presidency has been working assiduously to evolve a number of robust
strategies for key multi-sectoral outcomes and deliverables for the people of
the oil-producing communities.
Some of those include:
a)
General guidelines issued by the Federal Government, reaffirming its
commitment and outlining its objectives towards the establishment of Modular
Refineries in the Niger Delta.
*This includes, the
development of the technical criteria for issuing operating licenses that is
now in final stages of drafting and would be released soon.
b) A roadmap for
addressing regional development challenges is being developed by an
inter-agency working group comprising of Ministry of Niger Delta, Niger Delta
Development Commission, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Petroleum
Resources and Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. This group is working in
partnership with experts seconded by Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and key
resource persons financed by a bi-lateral international development partner.
*The roadmap will be based on
the framework of the 16-point agenda developed by PANDEF.
c) A strategy for
community-based participation in pipeline protection and policing is underway
and will be validated with series of engagement processes, collaboratively with
PANDEF, oil communities and other communities in the region that play host to
the vast network of oil pipelines in the Niger Delta.
*Meanwhile, there are plans
by the Presidency to conclude the fact-finding tours to the Niger Delta with
visits by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to Cross River and Ondo States.
It would be recalled that
under the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Vice President undertook
visits to oil producing States in the Niger Delta. During the visits, series of
townhall meetings and consultations were held with a broad spectrum of
stakeholders in a confidence building effort.
Meanwhile earlier today the
Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa commended the Buhari administration
for its commitment to addressing the concerns of the Niger Delta people.
He asserted the restoration
of peace in Delta State and noted that the State Government is actively working
with the FG on several of the plans, including the opening of the Maritime
University. The Governor who said he was in the Presidential Villa to show
gratitude to the FG, spoke with reporters after a brief call on the Vice
President.
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