Kachikwu Disagrees with Amaechi on Establishment and Maintenance of Maritime University | Says Min of Petroleum will take it up if Amaechi Doesn’t Want it

Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu

During the Federal Government Townhall meeting in Uyo on Monday, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu said that no matter the circumstances, any facility in the Niger Delta should be developed.

He said this in response to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi‘s claim that the Maritime University project gulped about N13 billion for land alone, and that the federal government would continue work on the project when it gets the money.

“I disagree with the minister of transport. Any facility in the South-south, we should work towards developing it, I don’t care the circumstance. It is not my business whether land was valued at 19 or 10 million.

That has nothing to do with development of infrastructure. As far as I know, so much has already gone into that, so much fiscal asset has been developed. We are not going to throw away the baby and the bath water.

We’ll deal with the issues but the university will be developed. If he (Amaechi) doesn’t want it in maritime, I will take it in Petroleum.

On the issue of negotiations, again I disagree with him. There’s no theatre in the world where conflicts are being resolved through battle. It doesn’t matter who’s right, who’s wrong,” Kachikwu said.

Kachikwu speaking at the townhall meeting, also said that the South-South people should benefit from oil blocs because it will be part of “giving back to the chicken that laid the eggs”.