By Stephen Ubanna
Given that the blue economy project has the potentials of earning the North American country of the United States, US, $1 trillion annually to boost the Nigerian economy through its marine activities which include navigation, nautical, naval and other maritime activities as related to the oceans , seas and bodies of water may have informed why Adegboyega Oyetola, a former governor of Osun state and minister of Marine and blue economy is determined to take it another level.
The former Osun state governor who had led the country’s delegation , to the 23 session of the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, a United Nation, UN’s maritime agency, which included both public and private stakeholders including Bashir Jamoh, OFR, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMO and several other industry stakeholders, according to a ministry source has taken the blue economy project to IMO General Assembly meeting in London, where he is expected to announce the nation’s blue economy direction to the international Community.
The Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, STOAN, under the Leadership of Mrs, Vicky Haastrup , who had repeatedly said that with Ouetola’s unflinching commitment to reposition to reposition the country’s maritime industry for optimum performance will take it to another level.
As a prelude to achieving this, Jamoh, NIMASA, Director General, who had popularized the blue economy model in Nigeria, AND who has signed a performance bond with the minister has promised to deploy the agency security architecture into Nigerian waters for effective surveillance of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ to sustain harnessing of the blue economy potentials of the country between now and beyond 2027.
It was not surprising why the NIMASA Chief Executive with the backing of he minster had taken advantage of any opportunity provided at both the local and international stage to speak of the agency’s efforts in the implementing the country’s 2003 Cabotage Act, which was said to have promulgate into Law by former President Obasanjo, expansion of the domestic fleet , sustaining the Depp Blue Project and developing an national policy on marine and blue economy. This is in addition to opening up on the agency efforts in promoting ‘’Safety, through effective capacity development and enhanced safety security and compliance to global acceptable standards on maritime activities.
This may have encouraged industry stakeholders to beat their chest that over the next few days in the Uk, by the Nigeria delegation to the IMO, General Assembly meeting, which would give the minister and his team , an opportunity to meet other international maritime perators who were aid to have been involved in the development of the blue economy in their country to rub minds with them and give them an a roadmap about the Nigeria’s blue economy direction and efforts by the Nigerian government ‘’ to harness the nation’s maritime potentials in line with the global acceptable practices’’.
The minister may have given a hint of the Nigeria’s blue economy direction at the recent Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG, Conference at Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, when he spoke ‘’Pathways to Sustainable Economic Transformation and Inclusion’’. He was said to have used the opportunity provided by the NESG Conference to disclose of plans to Launch a roadmap for the marine and blue economy with a focus on developing Nigeria, the most populous country in the African Continent into a hub of maritime trade and ancillary services in the African Continent with the take of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, AfCTA. He was said to have identified ‘’the dominance of Foreign Shipping Companies and infrastructure deficits’’ as some of the challenges facing the nation’s maritime sector.
An elated Oyetola had told participants at the NESG, Conference, that ‘’charting a policy agenda for the nation’s maritime sector is critical ‘’to transforming the country’s marine and blue economy projection one of the best at the regional, and global level. Aware that the seaport the world- over have gone digital and that digitalisation is used to drive port efficiency and remove human contacts that bred corruption may have strengthened his resolve to pursue the use of scanners in the country’s port operations and dredging of Inland waterways.
In projection of the ministry of marine and blue economy ‘s policy direction in the next four years , he has made it clear to those that cares to listen that ‘’it is imperative to work towards improving the capability of the country’s waters, engage the draught of the Lagos seaports and other ports across the country, preparatory to achieve the 24-hour cargo clearance and ensure adequate connectivity of the major seaports to the hinterlands with efficient road and rail network creation.
