ZAINAB JUNAID
As the world celebrated World Maritime Day under the theme “Navigating the Future: Safety First,” on Thursday, active members in the Nigeria maritime industry have emphasised the critical role of safety in building a thriving sector.
They stressed the need for safety to be extended beyond physical safety of Maritime operations to the safety of Marine ecosystem.
Speaking in a telephone interview with our reporter, Osita Chukwu, National Chairman, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers and Exporters Coalition(SNFFIEC) speaks about the need for improvement in infrastructure and urgent intervention in exchange rate even as he lauded Federal Government for the initiative of creating Marine and Blue Economy.
According to him, Nigeria as a country has not achieved 100% safety especially with pollution experienced in her ecosystem; deficit infrastructure which is detriment to the lives of Port users, and more efforts is needed from the Federal government to correct this anomalies for 100% safety level to be achieved with emphasis on harnessing the newly created marine and Blue Economy.
“Recall that Singapore has no other means of revenue apart from maritime, we can as well emulate this strategy by shifting our focus from Oil driven economy to harnessing the newly created blue economy, improve our strategies especially in the area of delay in dwelling time and efficiency, and also work on our security deficiency. You can see that we were blessed with so many natural resources, but the resources wither away because of our negligence, our inability to harness our gift as a nation.”
Chief Osita Ok Patrick Chukwu, National Coordinator, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers and Exporters Coalition(SNFFIEC)
He however opined that if opportunity is granted, the marine sector will be great. “There was a time that the oil boom people in power could not take that boom advantage to develop the sector to maximize economic potentials which could have gone a long way in fostering or boosting national development, but if the government can deploy necessary measures, put the right technology and innovations in place, we will achieve a thriving maritime sector,” he said.
Osita also used the opportunity to call on the Federal Government to urgently address the escalating foreign exchange rate which closed at N1,576.10 as at Friday, and has adverse effects on importers. “We cannot be operating with this high rate and say the industry is thriving, the government needs to urgently address this for us so that we can jointly enjoy the benefit of the blue economy,” he said.
Also speaking with our reporter, the Executive Director, Marine Blue Economy Defender(MABED) Amb. Sokari Gospel Afiesimama, posited that urgent and collaborative action to clean up Nigeria’s waterways, implement sustainable maritime practices is needed to achieve 100% safety in the sector.
He stressed that the entire maritime community must work together to protect and preserve the nation’s aquatic life and biodiversity, which are key pillars for achieving long-term economic growth through the Blue Economy.
In his words, “It is very important for Nigeria to garner it’s support of Marine environment Stakeholders together under one umbrella and see how we can enhance cleanliness of Marine environment. Our marine environment is highly polluted with all manners of non biodegradables and other defects which causes high level of aqua culture deficits.
“Our waterways, seas, and oceans are not merely channels for transportation; they are vibrant ecosystems that support biodiversity, aquatic life, and the livelihoods of millions. Without addressing the ongoing pollution and degradation of Nigeria’s marine space, we cannot fully harness the vast potentials of the Nigerian Blue Economy and our marine environment is currently plagued by marine litter, oil spills, and illegal dumping, which pose significant threats to both the ecosystem and human health. The recovery and sustainable management of our marine resources must begin with a joint effort from all stakeholders—including government agencies, private sector players, local communities, and international partners,” he stressed.
Executive Director, Marine Blue Economy Defender(MABED) Amb. Sokari Gospel Afiesimama
Sokari further informed that there are other quantum of non degradable on the river which has caused high level of inconveniences to the Marine world. “For example, fishermen going for fishing no longer earn good catching because most of the fishes have drowned in the sea due to the presence of the degradable in the ocean. It’s important we know that Cleaner environment will enhance Marine blue economy,” he emphasized.
The MABED Director also spoke on Maritime as an economic tool for national development and expectations from government.
He lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his foresight in establishing the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, saying the bold step marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey towards a sustainable and prosperous marine sector. “I also congratulate the Hon. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola on his giant strides in harnessing the vast opportunities within the Blue Economy and for his unwavering commitment to ensuring safety—both for maritime operations and for our precious marine environment. These are all testaments of the commitment of the government of the day towards optimal resource utilisation, welfare of citizens and environmental protection.
“Also on the part of Marine operators, there are lots of flaws taking place which needs to be urgently addressed. There is need for more orientation for the Marine operators to be security conscious in Maritime. Sometimes, they don’t wear life jackets while on boat and sometimes non deliverables dabbled into propellers and before you know it boat capsize and lots of other problems surface. As an NGO, MABED, an auxiliary of Mission to Rescue Nigeria Sociocultural Environment (MIRENSEN), is committed to combating all forms of marine pollution through advocacy, on-ground clean-up campaigns, and the promotion of sustainable waste management practices. We are soliciting the assistance of the Federal Government to partner with us to advocate caution mentality to the people, for the Operators to know that they deal with dangerous apparatus, they should be cautious of the environment they operate. Hence, we remain dedicated to supporting government’s efforts in achieving a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable marine space for Nigeria,” he stated.
The World Maritime Day was first celebrated in 1978 to mark the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the International Maritime Organization(IMO) Convention and Since then, celebrations have taken place worldwide to highlight the importance of shipping safety, maritime security, and the marine environment, while emphasizing specific aspects of the IMO’s work.
