Kachikwu, Amaechi disagree on Maritime University

The minister of transport, Chibuike
Amaechi, and the minister of state for
petroleum, Ibeh Kachikwu, on Monday
disagreed on the establishment of a
Nigerian Maritime University,
proposed for Okerenkoko in Delta
State.
Speaking alongside other ministers at a
government town meeting in Uyo,
Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Amaechi
defended the decision of the Buhari
administration to scrap the project.
Mr. Amaechi said the previous
administration of Goodluck Jonathan
had paid too much to acquire a site for
the university.
The groundbreaking of the proposed
school at Okerenkoko in Warri south-
West local government area was done
by former President Goodluck
Jonathan in 2014.
But addressing the senate committee
on maritime on January 19, Mr.
Amaechi announced the scrapping of
the project, which was to be financed
by the Nigerian Maritime and Safety
Administration Agency, a parastatal
under his ministry.
He cited insecurity in the area, and
said the project was a “misplacement
of priority” because there are
transport institutes in Zaria (Kaduna),
and Oron (Akwa Ibom), already.
On Monday, Mr. Amaechi address the
case again, in response to a question at
the town hall meeting.
The minister said the new government
lacked the funds to continue with the
university project.
“Okerenkoko (Maritime University), I am not
against,” he said. “My argument about Okerenkoko
is that land alone is 13 billion(naira). If you give me
13 billion, I will buy the half of Lagos. That 13 billion
has built the university already.”
He said the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission should recover the N13 billion already
paid for the land, then “I will build the university
for them”.
“What to do: let EFCC retrieve the money and
release the money and we build the university. If
they bring the N13 billion, I will build the university
for them. That’s for land alone. I believe the Federal
Government does not have money. When we have
money, we can continue. The minister of petroleum
has said he would look for the money. Minister, give
me the money and we continue.”
But Mr. Kachikwu disagreed with Mr. Amaechi,
saying he was in support of the project, drawing a
loud applause from the audience.
“First, let me say on Okerenkoko University, I
disagree with the Minister of Transport,” he said.
“Any facility that is located in the South-South we
should work close to developing it. I don’t care the
circumstances under which you are placed.
“It’s not in my position to determine whether land
was valued at 3 billion or 10 billion. The appropriate
institution which is at the cost system will
determine that. That has nothing to do with
development of infrastructure. And as far as I know,
so much has already gone into the university.
“So much physical of assets are being developed. We
are not going to throw away the baby with bath
water. We deal with the issues but the university
will be developed. If he (Amaechi) does not want it
in Maritime, I will take it in petroleum,” he said.
Mr. Kachikwu later said that he joined the present
government without ever meeting President
Muhammadu Buhari, but by “recommendation and
reputation”.
On the renewed insurgency in the Niger Delta
region, Mr. Kachikwu repeated his call for dialogue
with Niger Delta Avengers which has vowed to
ground Nigeria’s oil industry, having carried out
audacious attacks on oil and gas installations.
He said the crisis could not be resolved through
counter military attacks by Nigeria’s Armed Forces,
but through dialogue.
“We must dialogue first; and if that fails, we know
what to do next,” he said.
He said Niger Delta people with “skills and finance”
would benefit from allocation of oil blocs because it
would be part of “giving back to the chicken that
laid the eggs”.
He said oil blocs would empower Niger Delta people
and enable to engage in genuine oil deals, rather
than being contractors to oil companies.