In order to end huge capital flight in the procurement of ships by Nigerians from outside the country, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, last week approved a N58.6bn contract for the construction of ship building and dockyard facilities in Delta State. Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar said that the contract was split into two; package one will cost N40.2bn and package two will cost N18.4bn.
He said package one of the contract would involve the provision of maritime equipment and structures, ancillary buildings and electro-mechanical works and facilities for the ship building facilities while the second package of the project would involve the entire civil works and the infrastructure works for the facilities.
Umar explained that when completed, the shipyard facility would have the capacity for dry docking of ocean going vessels, which would be useful in the training of the cadets of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria who are presently being sent out of the country for training at huge cost to the country.
The ship building project is in line with the mandate of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, under Section 22 (1k) of the enabling law of the agency which provides that the agency shall develop and implement policies and programmes that will facilitate the growth of local capacities in ownership, manning and construction of ships and other maritime infrastructure.
Also, the Council approved N807m for the training of an additional 2,700 nonmilitant youths in the Niger Delta in the area of ICT and agriculture. Minister of State for Niger Delta, Mr. Darius Ishaku, said the objective of the training programmes in ICT and agriculture was to engage the youths in viable business ventures.
According to him, the programme would involve the training of 500 non-militant youths in ICT youth empowerment at the cost of N258m, while N549m would be spent on the training of 2,200 youths in agriculture.