*Buhari Approves N5 Bn Take-Off Grant

*Delta Govt Gives 1000KVA Generators 

The Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta, is set to admit students into the institution for the 2017/2018 academic year, and start lectures in April.

A total of 196 students have so far been accepted into the university while 76 applications were pending.

President Muhammadu Buhari had approved an increase in the take-off grant allocated to the university from the N2 billion earlier announced to N5 billion.

This sum was included in the 2018 budget presented to the National Assembly in November 2017.

Similarly, an additional N1 billion was approved by the president to support essential infrastructure works and staff recruitment in the university in November 2017.

The Delta State Government has also donated two 500KVA generators to the University.

The Maritime University was granted approval in January by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence undergraduate degree programmes in three faculties namely: Transport, Engineering and Environmental Management, beginning with 13 departments from the 2017/2018 academic session.

In attendance at the meeting were the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani; Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril; and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Nsima Ekere.

Also in attendance were the Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside; and the Special Adviser to the President on the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd).

Others include the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Adamu A. Rasheed; the Vice-Chancellor of the Maritime University, Prof. Mrs. Ongoebi Etebu, and representatives of other relevant MDAs.