Oyetola, Maritime Stakeholders Fine-Tune Blue Economy Policy

By Winifred Ngozi Orji

Harboursandports.com: Lagos- November 26, 2024: Minister of the Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has convened a two-day stakeholder engagement focused on the draft a national policy for the Marine and Blue Economy. 

While opening the validation session in Lagos on Tuesday, he emphasized that this National Policy is crucial for the growth of Nigeria's maritime sector.

R-L: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Dayo Moberola; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers' Council, NSC, Akutah Pius Ukeyima; Consul General, Consulate of Denmark, Jette Bjerrum; Managing Director, Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Bola Oyebamiji and President General, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju during a validation workshop on the development of the national policy on marine and Blue Economy in Lagos.

Oyetola emphasized that the National Policy is designed to create a sustainable pathway for economic growth in areas like fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy, tourism, and seabed mining, while also ensuring environmental sustainability. He also stressed the importance of having a robust National Policy to address challenges in the sector, such as environmental degradation and illegal activities like Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

He said: “Nigeria has achieved notable progress in maritime governance, including the ratification and domestication of international protocols and conventions. These measures have strengthened our safety and security framework, resulting in a remarkable three-year period with  zero incidents of piracy in our waters. Nonetheless, the recurring  boat mishaps underscore the pressing need for immediate action.

“This policy seeks to implement comprehensive strategies to ensure the safety of all waterways. However, challenges such as the recent spate of boat mishaps demand urgent attention. Consequently, this policy aims to establish comprehensive measures that will enhance safety across our waterways.

“As we develop this policy, the Ministry remains committed to repositioning Nigeria as a dominant player in the marine and blue economy, both regionally and globally. We are also pursuing Nigeria’s candidacy for election to Category C of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which underscores our determination to strengthen our voice in global maritime governance”.

In her goodwill remarks, Funmi Folorunso, the Secretary General of the African Shipowners Association (ASA), described the public engagement as important and praiseworthy. She also expressed a strong interest in Nigerian shipowners, who make up 30 percent of ASA.

Her words: “The fact that we are hosting stakeholders to deliberate on this policy is important. We should foist policies on industry players, but give them opportunities to be part of the development of the policies. This is beautiful but it shouldn’t stop here. There should be continuous engagement of industry stakeholders, including ship owners,” 

Earlier, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, stated that the validation workshop is a crucial step in developing the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy. This framework aims to meet Nigeria’s specific needs and aspirations while incorporating principles of sustainable development.

“It provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review, refine, and enrich the draft policy through a participatory and inclusive approach,” he said.

Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, the Chairman of Starzs Group, urged the organizers to carefully review the many submissions and recommendations from industry summits to enhance the policy. 

He also praised the strong interagency collaboration currently taking place within the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. 

The 60-page draft policy, which is divided into nine parts, provides a comprehensive overview of the country’s marine and blue economic resources and their current status.

The policy outlines the nation’s mandate, vision, and mission, paving the way for its objectives and aspirations. It breaks these aspirations down into five main areas: legal and institutional framework; maritime transport, trade and shipping; fisheries and aquaculture; marine abiotic resources; and marine innovation and technology. Additionally, it highlights various cross-cutting issues and concludes with an evaluation of stakeholders to aid in the implementation structure.

The event was attended by the Chief Executive Officers of all the agencies under the Ministry, including Dr. Dayo Mobereola, Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency; Mr. Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority; Barrister Akutah Pius, MON, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council; and Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority.