I Sponsored Students Abroad To Study Oceanography When I Was A Commissioner – Owene Wonodi Revealed.
– Tells youth to go for professional skills acquisition after their graduation.
– Advises Gov Wike to assign road traffic marshals in all the routes under construction.
The director of Owens Maritime Ltd, who was a commissioner of Youth and Development in Rivers State under Chibuike Amaechi administration, Sir Owene Wonodi has called on Nigerian youths to go for skills acquisition immediately after their graduation.
This he told Dez Mayorz media and other online media newsmen in Port Harcourt.
He stressed the need to train our youths to be leaders and able to compete with the world standard.
His statements in parts below:
“When I was a commissioner, I sponsored some students abroad to study maritime Oceanography.
We need to learn and grow exponentially in able to compete with the world market.
Right now we are not able to compete with the world’s maritime business because of the environment we found ourselves, and some other factors including certification challenges.” – Wonodi Owene.
He bemoaned the Federal Government deliberate attempt to undermine the Eastern region by making some decisions that favour only Lagos seaports.
He calls on the government to make feasible efforts to allow seaport activities in Eastern Nigeria(Warri, Port Harcourt, Calabar, Onitsha, etc) to operate in full capacity.
“Several administrations concentrate in Lagos on a deliberate attempt to undermine the Eastern Nigeria ports and their activities.
Only Tincan Port and Apapa Port activities are far bigger than all the oil and business activities going on in Niger Delta.
The government has to make feasible efforts to allow seaport activities in Eastern Nigeria to operate fully.
The government should decentralise activities and also fix equal tariff payment in all the seaports.” – Owen Wonodi said.
He frowns at the level of moral decay in society today which is not the way it was when he was in commission.
“It’s only God who can remedy the situation in Nigeria.
During our time, we trained youths to be leaders and socially relevant.
How can a first-class graduate work for a school dropout?
We are now in society we celebrate Big Brother Africa’s winner than the first-class graduate.
We now celebrate yahoo boys instead of excellence.
Even parents encourage their children to indulge in wrongful activities.
The level of moral decay in society today is not the way it was when I was in commission. It is worse now.” – Owene Wonodi said.
Sir Owene Wonodi commends Gov Wike’s projects in the state but said the projects adversely affects the masses; because of lack of planning and feasibility study.
He advises Gov Wike to assign road traffic marshals to minimise excesses and suffering the people are passing through as a result of roadblocks.
“For me, I commend Gov Nyesom Wike, but there’s what is called sustainable development.
The project adversely affects the masses.
The whole Aba road is blocked cutting off activities in that area.
The government need to assign road traffic marshals to minimise excesses and roadblocks traffic in Rivers state especially congested Port Harcourt metro city.
Gov Wike’s government need to carry out impact assessment and post-assessment, and not just allow the masses to be at the mercy of the contractors who don’t care much but the fulfilment of their job.
The flyovers built are not solving our road traffic problems at all.
The governor meant well but that has not helped because of lack of planning and feasibility study.” he said.
The maritime guru also reacted to the call of restructuring and secession by the majority of Nigerians and this is what he said:
“What Nigeria needs is true federalism that will give full autonomy to the state.
This will help the state government to be responsible for their people in the state.
Nigerian problem has not even started if we don’t transform into true federalism.”
“We need vocational and training centres where graduates are enrolled to learn a trade and skills that will equip the youths for employment.
I recommend and advocates that every youth go for professional skills acquisition immediately after graduation.
Let’s equipped our youth with several skills as they pursue their dreams with passion.” – Sir (Hon.) Owene Wonodi added.
Sir (Hon) Owene Wonodi schooled in Tombia, Kalabari, in the early ’80s.
He is a graduate of Mechanical engineering.
He worked at Tidex Nigeria Ltd (Foremost Marine company to come to Nigeria) in the communication room department, as a radio operator and rose to managerial level then, and finally started his own company (Owens Marine Ltd) with the help of his uncle (Venerable Gershion Wonodi) that assisted him with some money.
Okoye Chidiebele Stephens,
Dez Mayorz Report.
25th June, 2021.
