BLUE ECONOMY: Nigeria must meet global standards to actualize blue economy potentials…Stakeholders
Lucky Akra.
The stakeholders in the maritime Industry has said that the blue economy is an alternative economy model for sustainable development therefore to actualize the blue economy potentials,Nigeria must meet global standard.
This was stated at the Association of Maritime Journalist of Nigeria,AMJON 2022 Conference and Awards on Monday 19th of December,2022 at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.
Speaking at the event,one of the awardees, the MD, NLNG Mr. Abdulkadir Ahmed praised AMJON for organising such big a forum of egg-heads in the industry to proffer solutions on ‘Maximising the Blue Economy through Automation’
According to him, Nigeria has come of age in making port process less cumbersome and seamlessly profitable.
He added that there are standards to meet not peculiar to Nigeria.
The blue economy, he said has to be actualised through technology efficiency in all sectors of the economy.
” For Nigeria to realise it’s potentials, all effort must be pulled together to strengthen all agencies, institutions of government and the private sector and emulate the goings on in other worlds.
In a paper presented by the Executive Chairman National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), duly represented by Dr (Mrs) Omolade Faboyede, Director Seaports Operation, NDLEA thanked AMJON for assisting the agency in forming a formidable force against Drug peddlers. She noted that the fight against drug barons and cartels in Nigeria and the world over is formidable and said, “in every four drug abusers, there is one woman”.
She called on well meaning Nigerians to join the fight against drug menace in schools saying even secondary schools, students have started smoking and inhaling dangerous drugs to the detriment of their future.
Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) in its address, ex-rayed the importance of making the Ports and it’s users free from fraudulent practitioners and insisted that the NSC has been in the forefront of ensuring that Nigerian Ports are the best in the world through efficient and prompt evacuation of cargoes which engenders ease of doing business.
NSC Executive Secretary Hon. Emmanuel Jime was represented at the AMJON Conference by Mr. Sam Anyanwu director corporate communication and strategy.
One of the highlights of the conference was an award presented to one of Webb Fontaine as the Most Innovative ICT firm in Nigeria in 2022.
In his good will message, the Managing Director of Webb Fontaine, Mr. Ope Babalola expressed gladness over the theme of the conference and further said that the award given to his company will further push the ICT company to do more in port technology, security and prompt cargo evaluation and evacuation.
The highpoint of the conference was presentation of AMJON Excellence Award to 14 deserving industry leaders.
On Nigeria’s Water transportation, the MD of NIWA, Dr. George Moghalu who was represented by the director marine services, NIWA, Engr Ororo.
He said that the agency has been doing a lot to ensure Nigeria’s waterways are mapped out, dredged and free to convey goods on barges through the riverine areas.
Engineer Joseph Ororo said that NIWA has made it and still forging ahead to ensure the transportation of heavy goods through the roads are meaningless and stopped in Nigeria.
He said NIWA’s activities over the years had created a leeway towards bringing products to the Onitsha Port through barges and wants Nigerians to know that emphasis on conveying products through the roads to cities connected to riverines will soon be a thing of the past.
Secretary General of MOWCA, Dr. Paul Adalikwu who was represented by his media adviser, Mr Ismail Aniemu, in
his goodwill message thanked AMJON his transformational efforts at MOWCA. He wished the association well.
On its part, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Managing Director, Mohammed Bello-Koko, represented by Barr. Mrs. Yemisi Oyinlola, general manager, corporate and strategic communication, gave a vivid account of how the government had so far upped the ante in port operations in Nigeria.
According to her, the ports have had and still having credible and sustainable innovations and development owing to efficient administration.
The conference which was highly successful touched on vital areas of maximising the blue economy championed by the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh who was represented at the event by Mr. Isichei Osamgbi, director of special duties of NIMASA. He extolled AMJON for keeping the theme of blue economy in the front burner of national discuss.
