African countries including Nigeria have been losing out of the multi billion dollar annual revenue inherent in harnessing the diverse opportunities in the global ocean economy.
This is as countries like China and the United States of America (USA) reported an annual revenue of $962 billion and 10 percent contribution to GDP of China in 2014 with 9 million jobs created in the ocean industry the same year. USA, on the other hand, valued its ocean economy at $258 billion in 2010, contributing 1.8 percent to USA’s GDP.
Speaking at the 2019 African Day of the Seas and Ocean held in Lagos on Thursday, Dakuku Peterside, director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said the above mentioned statistics shows the opportunities which Nigeria can use for economic transformation and development.
Peterside, who noted that Nigeria has been witnessing growth in population and urbanisation, said the country must develop interest in conservation, exploration and exploitation of the country’s marine biodiversity.
“Nigeria can achieve accelerated economic growth and development through the regulation, exploitation and protection of her marine biodiversity through comprehensive and articulated approach that would not impact on the environment negatively, ” he said.
He said NIMASA is committed to formulating policies that are in tandem with the development of the nation’s marine biodiversity towards enhancing economic growth in line with federal government’s economic diversification agenda, improved livelihoods and job creation.
According to him, NIMASA has concluded and forwarded six International Maritime Organisations (IMO) instruments on marine environment management for ratification and they include the Hong Kong Convention for the Sale and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessels Personnel and other instruments.
While stating that the agency is undertaking a review of all the marine environment management regulations, he said NIMASA has made serious efforts towards ensuring the protection of the nation’s waterways.
In his remarks, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker, House of Representatives, said the National Assembly is committed to the nation’s quest for sustainable use and exploration of its seas and oceans to maximise the country’s vast economic potentials.
Represented by a member of the House representating Onitsha North-South Federal Constituency, Linda Ikpeazu, Gbajabiamila noted that efficient management and sustainable exploitation of the marine resources would provide a veritable tool for the actualisation of the nation’s Economic and Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) and give expression to the nation’s sustainable development goals.
He assured that the National Assembly would support the effort of the executive arm of government to see to the effective domestication of relevant international conventions of the IMO on marine environment management through legislative enactments.
“The National Assembly would also work with the executive arm in putting in place the necessary legal frame work for the blue economy to engender and protect the Nigerian marine environment and development of the ocean economy,” he assured.
Melekolo Kyari, Group managing director, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said the NNPC as a corporation shall always support NIMASA in its efforts to harness the opportunities in the marine environment which ultimately would help accelerate the country’s economic growth.
Kyari, who was represented by a general manager, Lamin Ibrahim said, “We should not expect to harness our maritime biodiversity if we cannot curb insecurity in the country. For the last decade, Africa has been the epicenter of international maritime insecurity.
“Piracy and armed robbery at sea has re-emerged in the modern era off the east and west coasts of Africa alike, this has caused enormous human and financial damage but with better and efficient maritime security in the country, economic activities in the maritime sector will flourish.”
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
