Nigeria’s apex maritime regulatory agency, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has fulfilled its promise to the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
The move is part of its goal of boosting human capacity development especially in the area of maritime education across the six geo-political zones across the country.
To this end, it has completed and handed over the ultra-modern complex housing the Institute of Marine and Transport Technology to the management of UNIPORT which is situated at Choba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
A statement issued by the agency and signed by its Assistant Director, Public Relations, Mr. Edward Osagie quoted the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh saying that the building which is a donation from NIMASA to the university, was the initiative of previous leadership of the agency but on assumption of office as the Director General he saw the need to review and commence the project.
Continuing, the statement which was made available to Maritime Bits said, “The initiative dates back to 2012/2013 when the then Director General of NIMASA decided to build a maritime training institute. The initiative is not peculiar to UNIPORT but is present in all the six geopolitical zones of the country. Any investment in education is definitely worthwhile. Research has shown that lack of education is relatively responsible for maritime crimes in the Niger Delta region. We hope beneficiaries of this maritime institute will be instrumental in making Nigeria a major maritime nation”.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Abraham Georgewill who was represented by the Vice Chancellor Administration, Professor Clifford Ofurum thanked NIMASA for selecting UNIPORT as the location for the maritime institute, assuring that the university will provide adequate faculty to ensure courses are accredited and recognized globally.
