The Federal Government has reiterated its resolve at enhancing security and capacity development in the maritime industry through collaborating with relevant stakeholders in the sector.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Sen. Gbemisola Ruqayyah Saraki, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja, at the Inauguration of the Joint Committee on Security and Capacity Development for the Maritime Industry.
She made known that the purpose of the collaboration was to bring together all stakeholders in the maritime sector to ensure capacity building and job creation, aimed at improving security and strategies for the advancement of the maritime industry, in line with global best practices.
“The potential in the industry when fully utilized would positively impact in the lives of the citizens and reduce youths’ restiveness in the country,” she said.
Saraki bemoaned the challenges of sea piracy in the country, noting that a lot was being lost by member states as a result of lack of harmonious working relationship.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties, Kafayat Salami, said the Committee was set up by the Honourable Minister of State to provide a veritable platform to cross- fertilize ideas and identify challenges in the Maritime Industry.
Dr. Ajani, therefore enjoined the members who are drawn from various sectors of the Industry to use their sectorial experiences in advising the government on ways to improve the sector,
She said: “Nigeria is yet to maximize its potential in the Maritime Industry and these have to do with our inability to address critical challenges such: as the underutilization of the eastern ports, ineffective implementation of the cabotage regime and the insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea amongst others.”
She thanked the Honourable Minister of State for the initiative to constitute a Committee to reposition the Nigerian Maritime Industry for better performance and enhanced productivity that is geared towards building an efficient Maritime Industry that will guarantee sustainable socio-economic development.
On her part, the Chairperson House Committee on Maritime Education and Administration, Hon. Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu, reiterated the support of the National Assembly with the collaboration as it is geared towards enhancing service delivery in the Industry.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman Governing Board Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Rear Admiral, J.A Ajani (Rtd.), said the Board would formulate policies and design strategies that would aid the implementation of the partnership with the Ministry, the Academy and the Nigerian Navy.
Also speaking, the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua, (Rtd.) welcomed the initiative and expressed readiness to collaborate, while informing the stakeholders on the upgraded facilities and the certification of its courses by International Maritime Organization (IMO).
In attendance were the Chief of Naval Engineering, NHQ, Rear Admiral, Suleiman El- Ladan, Acting Director, Maritime Safety and Security, Adaji Asma’u, Director, PRS, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Alhaji Musa Talle, amongst others.
