SAN FRANCISCO, June 17, (THEWILL) – The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu on Thursday visited the site of the controversial Maritime University at Okerenkoko, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta state on the behest of President Muhammadu Buhari, THEWILL can report.
Sources told THEWILL that President Buhari had directed the Minister to embark on an on-the-spot assessment tour of the project site following the series of controversy which had trailed the project.
Kachikwu and the Minister for Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi had on Monday openly disagreed over the project during a Federal Government town hall meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.
A source, who didn’t want to be named, told our correspondent that the visit by Kachikwu on Thursday was informed by a presidential directive to have an on-the-spot assessment of the project.
“’We can’t take further chances anymore, Mr President directed the Minister to embark on the trip to have an on-the-spot assessment of things.
“The presidential directive was obtained after the junior minister conferred with relevant security chiefs, including the National Security Adviser.
“The Minister had a conversation with the President on the raging issue of the University and he was directed to visit the site for an on-the-spot assessment.”
The source also disclosed that the State Petroleum Minister may be considering a bill that would come in the form of an Executive Bill to be presented by President Buhari to the National Assembly for the conversion of the Maritime University to the Nigerian National Petroleum Academy.
“We should de-emphasis the disagreement of the ministers and focus more on the need to forge ahead in spite of all we are going through. If the petroleum minister proposed to the president to visit the site and see to the possibility of a National Petroleum Academy, what is wrong in that?
“It is still at the level of proposal but something urgent needs to be done and it will be done sooner than later because such move to establish an institution like that requires the National Assembly and we are sure Mr President will present an executive bill to that effect.”
It was gathered that a prominent Gbaramatu leader, Chief Daniel Ekpebide among others conducted the Minister round the university’s temporary site at Kurutie, country home of ex-MEND warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo as well as the ongoing project permanent site at Okerenkoko.
THEWILL recalls that both Kachikwu and Amaechi had disagreed over the project on Monday. Ameachi was quoted to have said; “I am not against the University. I hope you people appreciate that. My argument about Okerenkoko is that the land alone is N13 billion. If you give me N13 billion I will buy half of Lagos. That N13 billion has built the University already so there is no need to spend more money.
“Let EFCC retrieve the money from them and then release them and we would build the University. I believe the Federal government has no money to continue. When we have money we would continue.
“The Minister of state for Petroleum has whispered to me that he would look for the money to continue…Minister, bring it to me and I will continue,” he said.
While responding to Amaechi assertion, Kachikwu was quoted not only to have opposed the Transport minister’s position on the project, but had emphasized that the university, which has been embroiled in controversy, will be developed.
According to him,” much has gone into the property, therefore, he will ensure that the University will be developed, as it doesn’t make sense to “throw the baby with the bath water.
“First let me say on Maritime University, I disagree with the Minister of Transport.Any facility that is placed in the South South, we should work towards developing it. I don’t care the circumstances under which we are placed…
“It is not my position to determine whether land was valued at N19 billion or N10 billion or N3 billion. The appropriate institutions which are the court systems will determine that.
“That has nothing to do with the development of the infrastructure. As far as I know, so much has gone into that property. So much fiscal assets are being developed. We are not going to throw the baby with the bath water. We will deal with the issues but the university will be developed.
“If he doesn’t want it in Maritime, I will take it to Petroleum,” Kachikwu was quoted to have said on Monday.
Story by Joe Ogbodu
