The house of representatives on Thursday passed for second reading a bill for the establishment of the Federal Institute for Diving Technology, Sokebolou, Delta State.
The institution when established is to offer full-time courses in deep sea-ocean diving studies and other related matters, leading to the award of diploma, and higher national diploma in all its proposed areas of specialty as well as offer courses for international certification of its graduates as chartered divers.
The sponsor of the bill Honorable Julius Pondi representing Buruntu Federal Constituency indicated that it passed first reading in March, 2022.
According to him, the institute when would help to bridge the gap of none availability of professional deep sea divers in Nigeria if established.
“The institute is expected to be the first of its type in the West Africa Subregion. Only South Africa has a deep sea diving technology institution in Africa.”
He explained that considerable introspection was given to the proposed location of the institution, Sokebolau is appropriate being an island community surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and one of several Communities in Ogulagha Kingdom. According to him, the Kingdom is host to Agip, Chevron, SNEPCO, Oando Plc. among others, adding that the expectation is that the entities would be greatly served by the proposed institution.
When established, he said the institution would help to achieve standardization and modernization for the practice of deep sea diving.
“It is expected that it would be a fulfilment of a critical need to grow the pool of the nation’s manpower production thereby bridging the existing gap in the short supply of certified deep sea divers.”
The bill was referred to the house committee on water resources for further legislative work and it is expected that the committee would turn in its report for the third and final reading after resumption from the house annual vacation.