Harboursandport.com: Lagos --- Stakeholders
in the maritime industry have stressed the need for partnership, noting that
this is crucial to the effective utilization of Africa’s maritime resources,
even as they set up a committee to map out strategies to develop the Nigeria’s
Blue Economy.
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l-r: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration
and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku
Peterside,
President, Ship Owners Association of
Nigeria (SOAN),
Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, and Mr. Mike
Igbokwe, Senior
Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) during the
2018 African Day
of Seas and Oceans held in Lagos.
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This is even as Director General of the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Petersider, stressed
the need for countries in
the African continent to collaborate in order to realize a common goal, geared
towards the actualization of the Blue Economy.
The
NIMASA boss who said this Wednesday during this year’s celebration of the
African Day of Seas and Oceans held in Lagos with the theme “Partnership Key to
a Sustainable Blue World” noted that the need
In his
words, “Our passion for Africa’s
partnership inspires our leadership role in the Association of African Maritime
Administration (AAMA) to continue to innovate with ideas to pull African
Maritime Administrations (MARAD) together for sustainable realization of the
objectives of the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) 2050 towards a
peaceful, prosperous and integrated Africa where there will be equal
opportunity to participate towards economic growth.”
Speaking
further, Dr. Peterside noted that the world is concerned about the sustainable
use of the seas and oceans as it is endowed with enormous resources, hence the
need for Africa to utilize the opportunities embedded in it.
While
using the opportunity to call for more collaboration among Stakeholders in
realizing a robust maritime sector in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, he assured
that NIMASA will continue to engage and educate the public on the sustainable
use of the seas and oceans.
The
event had stakeholders and experts in the maritime sector in attendance. The Chairman
of the occasion, Managing Director, Starz Marine and Engineering Services
Limited, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, in his opening remarks that the world is
beginning to go back to the original creation God blessed mankind with, which
is the seas and the oceans.
He
noted that Nigeria is at a vantage position with a good geographical location
with about 900 km coastline, hence the need to work harmoniously to realize the
blueprint of the AIMS 2050 with the overall goal of actualizing the concept of
the Blue Economy in Africa for continental economic growth.
Also
speaking at the event was Barrister (Mrs.) Margaret Orakwusi who delivered the
lead paper titled; “National Maritime Strategy and the National Maritime
Transport Policy Framework: How Far is the Road Yet?” concluded by
saying; “For Nigeria to develop a
robust and sustainable maritime sector, there is the need to prepare an
all-inclusive framework and strategy based on the development strategies of the
African Union in line with the AIMS 2050, Agenda 2063, Lome Charter and the
African Maritime Transport Charter”.
In his
paper titled; “Developing our
Blue Economy as a Critical National Economic Objective: The Partnership Model.” Dr.
Chris Asoluka stated that the only way to fully optimize the opportunities
embedded in the African seas and oceans is to work collaboratively as a
continent, so that we can compete favorably with our counterparts in other
continents. He also reiterated the fact that Nigeria’s maritime domain remains
a fertile ground waiting to be fully utilized for economic growth and
development.
On his
part, Professor Babajide Alo an environmental expert who also spoke at the
event advised that beyond the annual celebration of the event, partnership
strategies to ensure sustainable implementation of the resolutions must be
considered so that in the long run all set goals are achieved for the benefit
of the entire African continent.
At the
event, the NIMASA Board Chairman, Major General Jonathan India Garba (rtd.) and
the Director General, Nigerian Chambers of Shipping, Barrister (Mrs.) Obiageli
Obi in their goodwill messages unanimously agreed that it is important to
realize that the world is getting more and more dependent on resources from the
seas and oceans, noting that it is the engine for economic growth. They also
urged Stakeholders in the maritime industry to work together for the benefit of
the actualization of the Blue Economy in Africa.
The
highpoint of the event was the setting up a partnership committee on
implementation of sustainable Blue Economy in Nigeria to be Chaired by Major
General, Jonathan India Garba (rtd) and the Secretary is Dr. Mrs. Felicia Mogo,
the Deputy Director, in charge Marine Environment Management of NIMASA. Other
members of the Committee includes; Dr. Chris Asoluka, Captain Sunday Umoren
amongst others.
The
Committee while being inaugurated by Mr. Mike Igbokwe, a Senior Advocate of
Nigeria (SAN) was charged to come up a framework for the actualization of the
Blue Economy initiative in Nigeria amongst other responsibilities, all geared
towards the realization of a robust and virile maritime sector in
Nigeria.
It may be recalled that the 22nd Ordinary Session of Heads of
States and Governments adopted the 2050 AIM Strategy and Plan of Action,
including a roadmap for the incremental implementation of the strategy in line
with International Maritime Law.
The Strategy includes a framework for action on, inter alia: fisheries and
aquaculture; environmental and biodiversity monitoring; marine tourism;
Disaster Risk Management (DRM); handling and shipment of hazardous materials
and dangerous goods; maritime governance; flag state and port state control;
and illegal activities, including money laundering, piracy, maritime terrorism
and human trafficking and smuggling by sea.
The African Day of the Seas and Oceans was instituted by the
African Union in 2015. It seeks to draw attention to the strategic importance
of proper management of marine resources for the development of the African
continent in a sustainable manner.
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