Governor Umo Eno has lamented the threats posed by sea pirates in the coastal waters of Akwa Ibom State saying that their activities constituted a hindrance to the development of the blue economy.
Eno said this when he received the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla in his office in Uyo, the state capital.
The governor said to accomplish the tourism components of the state and the development of the blue economy which has to do with sea-based wealth, there was a great need to partner with the Navy to improve maritime security, given the coastal location of Akwa Ibom State.
“The maritime environment is very critical to the state at the moment. Part of our blueprint is agriculture and there lies the blue economy.
“All of this has to do with the sea. There’s so much in the sea that we have not benefitted from and we intend through agricultural revolution to tap all these benefits and the blessings that the sea has and we will therefore need more cooperation in terms of security,” he said.
He solicited the cooperation of the Navy in the security of the maritime environment of the state for the accomplishment of the blue economy and tourism potentials of the state.
“I like to say that as a state, God has really blessed us that every leader comes with a vision and pursues the vision such that as they live the state, they have moved the state forward,” he said.
He, therefore, solicited a revisit of the discussions on a partnership between the Akwa Ibom State Government and the Nigerian Navy to establish a Fish City.
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The partnership, he maintained, will boost food production for Nigerians and even produce food for export.
He also sought partnership with the Navy in building ferries and leisure ships for the water transport and tourism venture proposal even as he extolled the academic excellence and high level of discipline maintained by the Navy schools in the state, making a case for increased admission of Akwa Ibom children as the host state.
Earlier, the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla, congratulated Governor Umo Eno on his emergence as governor, describing the feat as a signpost to a new beginning for the state, given his timely launch of the promising economic agenda
According to the Naval Chief, Akwa Ibom State remains critical to the operation of the Nigerian Navy especially in the military and policing aspects, while acknowledging the state government’s support for the Naval facility at Esene, provision of land for expansion of the school at Uta Ewa, donating a girls’ school in Onna and other support to the NNS Jubilee.
He gave assurance of the Navy to partner with the state government in the shipbuilding venture, accomplish the Fish City vision and other ventures that will benefit Nigerians while promising a favourable consideration for the request for increased enrolment capacity in the Navy schools as well as a guarantee on improved maritime security along the state’s coastal region.
