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Reps Approve Establishment of A Federal Institute for Diving Technology in Sokebolou Delta State.

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Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

 

The House of Representatives has passed  into second reading a bill seeking the establishment of a Federal Institute for Diving Technology in Delta state in order to stimulate economic development through sea diving.

 

The bill is tilted ‘A Bill for the Establishment of a Federal Institute for Diving Technology Sokebolou Delta State Charged with the Responsibility to Provide Full-Time Courses in Deep Sea (Ocean) Diving Studies; and for Related Matters’

 

Debating the merits of the proposed institution, the Sponsor of the bill Hon.Julius Pondi (Delta,PDP) said that our nation Nigeria remains an evolving development phenomenon that is always craving and searching to join the league of civilzed nations of the world.

 

He further stated that the Institution is for teaching and research into the theories and practice of diving adding that diving is a distinct profession in its own right and an exportable human resource for other nations.

 

According to him, the demographics and availability of professional divers across the West African sub-region puts the region at a clear disadvantage in the global distribution of these personnel.

 

 

The Peoples Democratic Party PDP lawmaker further noted that the availability of professional divers across the West African sub-region puts the region at a clear advantage in the glob disadvantage in the global distribution of these personnel.

 

He had canvassed to the lawmaker that professional and commercial divers have broad-range of employment opportunities in the United States, Mexico, Malaysia, Canada United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan as these countries have a pool of sea divers.

 

On the location of the institute, the lawmaker said that Sokeboluo in Burutu Local Government Area is an island community that is sorrounded by the Atlantic Ocean.

 

He also hinted that the community and several others in Ogulagha Kingdom is host to big oil companies and gas industry players such as Shell Petroleum Development Company SPDC with tank farms,oil terminals and other facilities.

 

 

He informed that some other  multinational and indegenous firms in the Ogulagha Kingdom include AGIP, Chevron, Britannia-U, SNEPCO and Oando Plc which own facilities such as crude oil flow stations, oil wells and marginal fields.

 

 

The Delta State born lawmaker told his colleagues that what the bill is calling for is standardization and mordenization of the practice of deep sea diving with an overall aim to avail the Nigerian populace access to attain basic and the International Maritime Contractors Association (IMCA) approved certifications.

 

Consequently the House presided by the Deputy Speaker Hon Ahmed Idris Ease passed the bill into second reading.

 

The presiding officer immediately referred the bill which had in early July this year passed through first reading to the House relevant Committee for further legislative actions.

 

 

 

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