On-the-newly-established-naval-university-in-delta-state-not-properly-located-according-to-purpose
September 7, 2020 | News
ON THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED NAVAL UNIVERSITY IN DELTA STATE – NOT PROPERLY LOCATED ACCORDING TO PURPOSE
We regard to the newly established Nigerian Naval University known as Admiralty University of Nigeria that is located at Ogwashi-Uku/Ibusa Road, Delta State, which is currently recruiting qualified staff to kick-start the institution, we consider it necessary to pin-point that the said Naval University is not properly located to serve its purpose as a Nigerian Naval University.
We all know that practically everything about the Nigerian Navy and their operations is connected to the sea/river, hence, one would have expected that the said Admiralty University of Nigeria, which we believe will be built by/for the Navy, ought to have been located in either a place like Warri, Sapele, Koko or Okwagbe in Delta State, where we have rivers linking the sea. Now that the said Naval University is located at Ogwashi-Uku/Ibusa, that means the students would have to be transported to these places in the State where we have rivers, for their practicals. All of this could have been avoided if the Government and the authorities concerned in The Nigerian Navy, had done proper feasibility study and locate the said University where its purpose will be achieved more.
It is high time the Nigerian Government should stop playing politics with everything they want to do in terms of bringing development to the Nigerian public space. We seriously do not see the reason why the said Naval University should be located and built in a place where its students will not have a close and first-hand experience of what it means to be a navy officer. This is what usually happens when the Government is thinking of its selfish aim and not the people they are supposed to be serving.
This is the same problem we have with the current location of the Operational Headquarters of International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Indigenous Oil companies, including the NNPC and its subsidiaries, in Lagos and Abuja, instead of the core Niger Delta region where the crude oil and natural gas is situated. Even with the Federal Government directive last year via Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, for this to be effected, we are yet to see any move by the NNPC, IOCs and Indigenous Oil companies in obedience to the said Federal directive. The cities we hear of in advanced countries, when it comes to such things, are not Capital Cities and State headquarters. Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands but most of their Government Head offices are in The Hague. Houston-Texas is the oil city in the US. All the oil companies are located in Texas and Louisiana and not New York or Washington DC, which are well-recognized as the seat of Government but they are not host to any of the oil company offices. Calgary is the oil city of Canada. In other words, most of the cities we know of in advanced countries when it come to the oil industry, are not even in their State capital but are located where the natural resources are more. Calgary and Toronto are more known than Ottawa in Canada.
If this is the situation in these advanced countries, why can't we have same in Nigeria when it comes to the location of Industries, Companies and Institutions of learning? If former President Olusegun Obasanjo had relocated the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Head Office from Abuja to Lagos, and donated the Abuja NPA building known as the "Ship House" to the Nigerian Defense, because he believes that the NPA has no business being in Abuja since it has no Sea Ports, unlike Lagos; why can't the present Federal Government do same with IOCs, NNPC and other Federal Institutions like the said Naval University? No country can develop on ‘tribal sentiments’, hence it is about time we do away with it in Nigeria when it comes to doing what is right to benefit all, rather than playing politics with everything.
Zik Gbemre, JP.
We regard to the newly established Nigerian Naval University known as Admiralty University of Nigeria that is located at Ogwashi-Uku/Ibusa Road, Delta State, which is currently recruiting qualified staff to kick-start the institution, we consider it necessary to pin-point that the said Naval University is not properly located to serve its purpose as a Nigerian Naval University.
We all know that practically everything about the Nigerian Navy and their operations is connected to the sea/river, hence, one would have expected that the said Admiralty University of Nigeria, which we believe will be built by/for the Navy, ought to have been located in either a place like Warri, Sapele, Koko or Okwagbe in Delta State, where we have rivers linking the sea. Now that the said Naval University is located at Ogwashi-Uku/Ibusa, that means the students would have to be transported to these places in the State where we have rivers, for their practicals. All of this could have been avoided if the Government and the authorities concerned in The Nigerian Navy, had done proper feasibility study and locate the said University where its purpose will be achieved more.
It is high time the Nigerian Government should stop playing politics with everything they want to do in terms of bringing development to the Nigerian public space. We seriously do not see the reason why the said Naval University should be located and built in a place where its students will not have a close and first-hand experience of what it means to be a navy officer. This is what usually happens when the Government is thinking of its selfish aim and not the people they are supposed to be serving.
This is the same problem we have with the current location of the Operational Headquarters of International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Indigenous Oil companies, including the NNPC and its subsidiaries, in Lagos and Abuja, instead of the core Niger Delta region where the crude oil and natural gas is situated. Even with the Federal Government directive last year via Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, for this to be effected, we are yet to see any move by the NNPC, IOCs and Indigenous Oil companies in obedience to the said Federal directive. The cities we hear of in advanced countries, when it comes to such things, are not Capital Cities and State headquarters. Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands but most of their Government Head offices are in The Hague. Houston-Texas is the oil city in the US. All the oil companies are located in Texas and Louisiana and not New York or Washington DC, which are well-recognized as the seat of Government but they are not host to any of the oil company offices. Calgary is the oil city of Canada. In other words, most of the cities we know of in advanced countries when it come to the oil industry, are not even in their State capital but are located where the natural resources are more. Calgary and Toronto are more known than Ottawa in Canada.
If this is the situation in these advanced countries, why can't we have same in Nigeria when it comes to the location of Industries, Companies and Institutions of learning? If former President Olusegun Obasanjo had relocated the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Head Office from Abuja to Lagos, and donated the Abuja NPA building known as the "Ship House" to the Nigerian Defense, because he believes that the NPA has no business being in Abuja since it has no Sea Ports, unlike Lagos; why can't the present Federal Government do same with IOCs, NNPC and other Federal Institutions like the said Naval University? No country can develop on ‘tribal sentiments’, hence it is about time we do away with it in Nigeria when it comes to doing what is right to benefit all, rather than playing politics with everything.
Zik Gbemre, JP.