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By Babajide Okeowo
The creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has continued to elicit excitement amongst stakeholders in the Maritime industry.
According to many of the stakeholders, this is long overdue and will assist the country in realizing the huge potential of the Maritime sector and the blue economy as a whole.
According to Eugene Nweke, former President, the National Association of Government-Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), he welcomes anything that is innovative and will key into it.
I welcome this and will always key into anything that is innovative. So, to me, it is innovative in a way with the concept of the blue economy that is attached to it
The nomenclature that we have today is okay. It is the Marine and the Blue Economy. The Blue Economy is a strategy, adding it to the Marine Ministry will give you emphasis on what is expected to achieve.
Because by that strategy, it is talking about the sustainability of the ocean or making the ocean become a means of development in terms of ocean industries.
Looking at our environment, our Marine environment to explore and to introduce innovation within our water area so that it becomes a means of generating revenue and improving the lives of the people within the marine environment” he disclosed.
On his part, Olisa Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria while commending President Bola Tinubu for yielding to the long-awaited policy advocacy of the nation’s maritime community by creating the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to drive growth in the sector which has the capacity to generate over N7 trillion per annum.
“This has been a major omission. Nigeria is a maritime nation and must advance policy issues to tap into the absolutely massive economic opportunities. This is a sector that will, with the proper direction of the government easily contribute at least N7 trillion to the public revenue,” he said.
Similarly, The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Bashir Jamoh praised President Tinubu for the creation of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry and appointment of Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to man its affairs.
Jamoh said that the creation of this “long overdue ministry” will give a massive boost to plans and programmes the President intends to deploy.
While expressing optimism that the maritime industry is large enough to engage the teeming youths in the country adequately, he urged them to take advantage of the opportunities in the Nigerian maritime sector.
He said, “I want to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry and appointing Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to man its affairs. There are new opportunities around us, and I’m glad Nigeria, with the creation of this ministry, will explore the concept of the blue economy.
“The blue economy is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem. Blue Economy Activities include Maritime shipping, Fishing & aquaculture, Coastal tourism, Renewable energy, Water desalination, Undersea cabling, Seabed extractive industries & deep sea mining, Marine genetic resources, and Biotechnology.”
“Honestly, this ministry is long overdue, more importantly, to support the diversification of the economy. Efficient management and sustainable exploitation of the marine resources in our seas and oceans, no doubt, provide a veritable tool for Economic Growth.” Jamoh said.
