Stakeholders allege plan to downgrade, relocate maritime varsity

Berate govt for inconsistency
The Gbaramatu Traditional Council has described as annoying, provocative and capable of throwing the region into another round of crisis an alleged plan by the Federal Government to downgrade the Okerenkoko Maritime University, Delta State.

The plan was reportedly disclosed by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibeh Kachikwu, during the unveiling of the oil and gas roadmap termed, “7 Big Win.”

Kachikwu, while presenting the document to President Muhammadu Buhari, was quoted to have said that the petroleum minister has taken over the issue of the university and that the Federal Government had decided to downgrade the university, which was a degree-awarding institution, to a polytechnic that will award diploma certificates.

Buhari had reportedly approved the document, which contained the decision of the minister at a ceremony held in Abuja on October 27, 2016.

Stakeholders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also accused the Federal Government of what they described as inconsistency.

Besides, the Acting Secretary-General of Gbaramatu Traditional Council, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, said that as critical stakeholders and immediate host to the proposed university, said that the issue was supposed to be a pre-Niger Delta/Federal Government parley agenda item, which was part of the low-hanging fruits that the Abuja authorities were supposed to tackle to build trust in the people of the region.

He, therefore, maintained that the Niger Delta people and Gbaramatu kingdom in particular would continue to reject and resist the plan to relocate or downgrade the university to a diploma-awarding institution.