The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, says President Muhammadu Buhari has approved take off of the controversial Nigeria Maritime University located in Okerenkoko, Delta State.
This means the President did not align his government with the hasty and unauthorized scrapping of the university by his minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Boroh also urged elders and leaders of the Niger Delta to embrace peace moves initiated by the President.
He said the visit of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, to the Niger Delta offered serious opportunities for peace and development in the oil rich region.
Boroh’s comments were contained in an electronic mail sent to our correspondent by the Media and Communication Consultant of Presidential Amnesty Programme, Owei Lakemfa, on Wednesday.
Boroh also urged the people of the area to take advantage of the government’s acceptance of the 16-point demand by the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum to the President in November 2016, as a working document for the resolution of the crisis in the region.
Boroh, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, also urged the people of the area to utilise the decision of the Federal Government to recognise the environmental challenges of the region and to treat the area as a special economic zone.
Boroh who commended Buhari said that the President also directed that everything should be done to ensure that the NMU commence operations in the next academic year.
He called on the National Assembly to pass the Nigeria Maritime University Bill to ensure that the scheduled date for the take off of the university was met.
The Amnesty boss also urged the oil companies to invest in the environment, human resource and infrastructural development as part of the effort to develop confidence in the Niger Delta.
He called for better understanding and tolerance on the part of the inhabitants of the area in order to put up a united front in the pursuit of the desired peace and development in the area.
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