The House of Representatives has passed for third reading a bill seeking to establish the Federal College of Fisheries Technology and Marine Engineering in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The bill was passed at plenary on Thursday following the consideration and adoption of a report presented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Ocean and Fisheries, Hon. Akarachi Etinosa Amadi.
Amadi told the House that the bill had gone through public hearing on July 14, 2025, where maritime, educational and regional stakeholders evaluated the proposal and unanimously endorsed it for final passage.
According to him, the proposed college is designed to serve as a specialised tertiary institution focused on advancing Nigeria’s blue economy by providing technical training in fisheries management, aquaculture and marine engineering within a coastal riverine community.
“The primary objective of the bill is to provide a statutory framework for the creation of a specialised tertiary institution focused on bolstering Nigeria’s blue economy. By embedding technical training in fisheries management, aquaculture, and marine engineering within a coastal riverine community, the bill aims to address local manpower deficits in the maritime sector, expand access to technical vocational education, and stimulate economic development across the Niger Delta region,” Amadi said.
The bill is structured in three clauses. The first two establish the statutory foundation for amending the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act, while the third clause embeds the new college into the Third Schedule of the Principal Act, giving it the legal recognition needed to access federal funding and execute its mandate.
The House passed the bill after voting for its adoption at the plenary session.
Digital Operations Manager at The Students Forum Nigeria.
