The Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has stated that education is the only way through which poverty can be eradicated in the country.
Speaking recently in Kaduna where NIMASAdonated some educational materials to some schools in the northern zone, Dr. Peterside pointed out that the gesture is in the Agency’s determination to support the Federal Government’s quest to improve on the quality of education in the country.
He noted that it was also in continuation of the CSR programmes initiated by the Agency following the initial intervention for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in twenty states of the federation.
In his words, “in June this year we were in kaduna to donate relief materials for Internally Displaced Persons but this time we are here to donate educational materials to schools in the North west Zone which include Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara states and very soon similar gesture would be extended to other states of the federation in pursuance of a better education and upgrading the educational standard in the various states”.
Presenting the items to the representatives of the selected schools, the DG, who was represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, of NIMASA Dr.Bashir Jamoh, told the beneficiaries that the Agency would vigorously pursue for the improvement of educational institutions in the country to prepare our young students for a better future.
He further said this intervention by the Agency was in compliance with the Federal Government’s directive for government organizations to support its drive towards the enhancement of our educational institutions. He therefore called on other corporate bodies to support this worthy cause as the federal government cannot do it alone.
The DG also said, “NIMASA is a socially responsible citizen. Though our core mandates are principally to regulate and promote shipping activities in Nigeria, we are acutely aware, and also conscious of the plights of Nigerians and those who are in need and do not have the resources to cater for themselves. In view of this the agency decided to donate these items to improve on the desired goal of government to upgrade the quality of education in our institutions. To this end the Agency is carrying out this activity to complement the efforts of government towards increasing the quality of education in the zone”.
While receiving the materials at the venue of the event, Isa Sani the Director Science, Technical and Vocational Education, Ministry of Education, Katsina State who represented Dikko Collage Pilot Katsina a beneficiary spoke on behalf of other school representatives said they were overwhelmingly happy to the Agency for the magnanimity for the various educational materials donated to them. He promised that these teaching enhancing tools would be well deployed for the benefit of the students and the schools at large.
“This gesture will not be forgotten in a hurry and I urge other agencies to follow the footsteps of NIMASA by lending a hand of fellowship in this regard. We appreciate and commend NIMASA for this kind intervention and appeal to other organisations to do likewise” he said.
He further called on all the beneficiaries to ensure the students were properly taught and encourage them to show interest in the maritime sector as this would give them the opportunity to understand the functions and activities of NIMASA. He stressed that the maritime sector is full of opportunities and should not be left unexplored. The educational materials donated include desktop computers, laptops, text books, white boards, scientific calculators, note books, writing materials among several others.
It is worthy of note that the Federal Government has consistently encouraged philanthropists and non-governmental organisations to partner with government in order to improve funding and quality of education in Nigeria. It is in line with such that the Management of NIMASA embarked on the provision of the educational materials. The schools that benefited include Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman Collage, Daura, Katsina State, Dikko Collage Pilot Katsina, Government Girls Secondary School, Bakura, Zamfara State and Government Girls Secondary School, Kofar Gayan Zaria, Kaduna State.