Marine and Blue Economy Ministry should hold technical meetings with NNPC, Navy, CBN, others – Jean Chiazor Anisere

By onepageafrica Last updated Nov 22, 2023

Mrs. Jean Chiazor Anishere SAN, Senior Partner, Jean Chiazor and Partners

Principal Partner of Jean Chiazor and Partners, Jean Chiazor Anishere (SAN), has encouraged the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola CON, and his team, to hold closed-door technical meetings with key agencies, in a bid to address core inter-ministerial policies and operations affecting the maritime sector.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria gave the advice on Tuesday as part of her perspectives at the Ministry’s first Stakeholders’ Roundtable Engagement on Advancing Sustainable Development in Nigeria’s Marine and Blue Economy sector.

Anisere, who is also a former Continental President of African Women in Maritime (WIMAFRICA), itemized some relevant agencies to include the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

She said: “Today’s session was beautiful, but a more technical closed door meeting will be more rewarding. I think on the face value, the idea of the stakeholders’ roundtable meeting was good. However, there is need to have a technical evaluation to match the road map. Customs, CBN, NNPC Plc, NLNG, NN, NIMASA will need to come on board in meetings at interagency level outside public view.”

While stressing the need to review the Snake Island Project, Anishere said that Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) must have her role as Economic Regulator redefined to cope with emerging developments.

“There must be a well-defined economic road map. Diplomatic linkages or better economic diplomacy can be pursued with countries in the West-African sub-region and oil rich nations like Angola,” she said.

She also advised that immediate discussion should start with South Korea for ship building and acquisition, evaluating the cost and duration, considering the line of talks about ship acquisition as a key topic of the stakeholders’ meeting.