Without Peace, There Can Be No Development – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday described the flag-off of Africa’s first marine university in Kurutie, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, as proof that there can be no development without peace.

“Everybody wants development, but the fact remains that there can’t be any development without peace. The last time I visited here (Gbaramatu) to see the people after the troubles before amnesty, nobody was smiling. I could not smile and the people I had come to see now could not smile”, he said.

The president said the peace that has for some time reigned in the land has left everyone happy, noting that without peace in the community, it would have been impossible to set up a marine university in the area.

The President who spoke to stakeholders at the palace arena of Gbaramatu kingdom’s paramount ruler before performing the flag off of the university yesterday added that nobody would have thought such an important institution could be sited in the kingdom. The ground breaking for the maritime shipyard/dockyard was also done at Okerenkoko.

Jonathan therefore appreciated the Niger Delta people for embracing peace for allowing peace to reign in the area.

He also lauded the supervising Ministry of Transport and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for leading the justification for the projects.

Director General of NIMASA, Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, said the university would take off immediately on temporary structures located at Kurutie while simultaneous construction of the permanent site and that of the ship yard/dockyard go on at Okerenkoko.