At a well-attended event by stakeholders and experts in the maritime sector to commemorate this year’s “Africa Day of Seas and Oceans”, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has disclosed that Africa seas and oceans possess huge economic opportunities that can take the continent to the next level.
Speaking further, Dr. Peterside said decade of Africa’s Seas and Oceans declared by the African Union (AU) from 2015-2025 should be perceived as a shift in perspective that recognizes the fact that our oceans and seas are economic infrastructure, necessitating the need for stakeholders in the sector to work together to realize the opportunities embedded in the sector.
While describing this year’s theme titled, “Harnessing African Maritime potentials for sustainable development” as very apt, the NIMASA DG noted that it is in line with the overall goals of Africa’s Agenda 2063 which is aimed at ushering in the Africa that we all desire with the capacity to generate wealth from sustainable governance of Africa’s seas and oceans.
He also assured stakeholders that NIMASA as the maritime regulatory Agency has considered it necessary to continue championing the awareness on Africa Integrated Maritime-Strategy and the Blue Economy through the Day of the seas and oceans and other sensitization programs the Agency will still embark upon.
Also speaking at the event was Professor Charles Ukeje who delivered a paper titled; “Securing the African Marine Environment for Sustainable Development” noted that harnessing and sustainable use of our oceans and seas are the key to unlocking prosperity for the economy, and called for effective planning which must cut across public and private sectors of the economy on a long term basis.
Dr. Magnus Chidi Onuoha who also spoke on the theme: “Harnessing Resources from Seas and Oceans for the African Youth Empowerment” identified people, prosperity and the planet as the key to sustainable development of the maritime sector in Africa and said that the marine environment is key to our survival.
Other speakers at the event led by the Chairman of the session, Mr. Norrsion Quakers, SAN unanimously called for collaborative and concerted efforts among Stakeholder in actualizing a virile maritime sector.
Also present were; NIMASA Board Chairman, Rtd. Major General, India Garba, Managing Director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) Mr. Boss Mustapha, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Barrister Hassan Bello and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas who was represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abbah amongst others.
The African Day of the Seas and Oceans was instituted by the African Union in 2015. It seeks to draw attention to the strategic importance of proper management of marine resources for the development of the African continent in a sustainable manner.
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