By Sulaimon Salau
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Bashir Jamoh, has pledged the agency’s commitment to realising the blue economy agenda.
Jamoh, who stated this during a programme by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos, said that the institute has a critical role to play in Nigeria fully harnessing its potential of the blue economy.
He noted that collaboration among organs of government and the organized private sector would accelerate harnessing the opportunities within the blue economy, citing the successes of the deep blue project, hinged on collaboration.
He said: “Our task at NIMASA is to explore how Nigeria can maximize the benefits derivable from our blue economy. This concept of the blue economy, which gained prominence a few years ago, requires local, regional, and international collaboration to manage critical factors.
“The NIIA should play a role in advising the government on policies to facilitate the realisation of the blue economy.
“Just as in maritime security, the deep blue project has shown that through co-operation and collaboration, great results can be achieved.”
The Director-General of the NIIA, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, while acknowledging the progress made in securing the Nigerian maritime domain and the Gulf of Guinea, highlighted the importance of the blue economy globally, calling for sustainable use of ocean resources to be considered when shaping government policies.
Source: The Guardian
