The Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta may soon become an official institution as the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration plans to pass the bill into law.
The committee's chairman, Uduak Odudoh, confirmed this during a visit to the university on Thursday.
He pledged that the House committee would act promptly to ensure the bill is approved.
Odudoh, speaking to reporters after inspecting the NMU facilities in Okerenkoko and Kurutie, stated that once the bill is passed, the university will commence operations effectively.
However, he highlighted insufficient funding as the main issue facing the NMU and guaranteed to address this by securing adequate funding for the university.
He stated that the House of Representatives would address all the university's challenges.
The House committee leader praised the Tompolo Foundation for contributing approximately 40 percent of the institution's development.
He also expressed gratitude to the local communities for maintaining peace in the area and providing a large area of land for the University.
He stated, “We will ensure that the bill is passed into law so that everything that is supposed to come to the University will not be denied
“We will also do everything as a parliament and include in our budget the building of a standard clinic in the university because of its distance from the upland.
“I use this opportunity on behalf of the committee and the House of Representatives to immensely thank the Tompolo Foundation because from our assessment and reports, 40 per cent of what we are seeing here and on the other campuses are done by the Tompolo Foundation.
“We also commend the communities for graciously donating large expanse of land. This shows that they want development”.
The Vice Chancellor of NMU, Prof. Emmanuel Adigio, previously mentioned insufficient funding, transportation, electricity, and staff accommodations as some of the challenges in the university.
He appealed to the Federal Government to construct staff houses and ensure increased funding for the institution.
“This university was initiated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). We are pleading with them to increase the funding to enable us to have more staff,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the House Committee visited the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun 11, Aketekpe, Agadagba at his annex palace in Warri to inform him about their oversight visit during which the royal father urged the committee to ensure speedy passage of a bill that established the university and accented to by President Bola Tinubu to become an Act.
The king noted that the gesture would enable the NMU to enjoy the same benefits as the other universities.
