No fewer than 1,300 applicants jostling for employment in Nigeria’s first ever maritime university, Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State have been screened.
The applicants were screened from over 6,000 applications received across the country. Successful candidates are expected to fill various vacant positions in the university.
The screening is coming on the heels of the preparation for the kick off of academic activities in the tertiary institution next month.
These were disclosed by the Vice Chancellor of NMU, Professor Ongoebi Maureen Etebu shortly after the finalization of recruitment exercise into various cadres of the institution at its take-off campus, Kurutie, Okerenkoko.
There is no doubt that the Vice Chancellor is leveraging on her experience and exposure as the Commissioner for Special Duties in the late Chief Diepreye Alamiyeseigha’s administration in Bayelsa State. The ministry under her watch supervised the massive construction and delivery of several projects in the permanent site of the Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State that paved way for the eventual take off of the university.
She also disclosed that 17 panellists drawn from various universities in the country conducted the interview at Kurutie with a representative of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Mr. Owojaiye Samson, on ground to ensure national distribution in the recruitment exercise.
According to her, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Chiedu Mafiana was also involved in the supervision of the recruitment exercise.
Giving an insight into the involvement of NUC in the recruitment exercise, Mafiana said: “We are here to see the smooth conduct of the interview of prospective academic staff for the take-off of the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, which the Federal Government has directed.
“I am delighted that despite the riverine nature of the environment, people from across the nation indicated interest and came for the interview in bid to contribute their quota to the advancement of education”.
Etebu stated that academic session in NMU will commence mid-April, just as she added that school is adequately prepared for the task ahead.
Her words: “We are 100 per cent set for the take-off of academic activities. The federal government has graciously given us funds and all facilities are in place. We do not have any challenges thus far. Government is solidly behind us, so we are good to commence academic activities”.
She commended the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for the one week extension granted the university to enable it send its students’ admission list. She also expressed appreciation to the federal government for giving a final nod to the establishment of the university
