NIMASA seeks framework for developing blue economy in Africa

Dakuku Peterside, director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has identified need to develop proper framework that will enable the coordination of blue economy in Africa so as to harness the inherent opportunities.

Peterside, who said this while presenting a paper titled; “Introducing the Blue Economy Concept,” to the management of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in Lagos, said that to realize a desirable blue economy framework, there is need for participatory engagement and policy design, implementation and multi sector partnership.

According to him, blue economy which stands on three pillars namely environmental, economic and social sustainability holds lots of benefits to African economy, if developed.

Peterside also pointed out fair multilateral and bilateral agreements, improved well-being, inclusive job creation, eco-tourism, debt swaps and green ports among others as some of the opportunities that abound in the blue economy.

“About 70 percent of the earth resources are underneath the sea and has in most cases been left untapped; almost all the cities in the world started their development from the sea which shows the underlying importance of the sea to economic and social growth. We must therefore work hard collaboratively to develop our blue economy,” Peterside advised.

Identifying insecurity, criminal activities at sea, climate vulnerability, and poor infrastructure among others as factors limiting the development of the sector, he assured that NIMASA will do all it can to curtail the issues around criminalities in the nation’s territorial waterways.

“We have proposed an Anti-piracy bill which is presently before the National Assembly and would be passed soon to enable the Agency prosecute those found in such nefarious activities.

The DG also assured NSC that the agency will continue to encourage collaborations among stakeholders in the industry to enable growth and development of the blue economy.

Earlier, Hassan Bello, executive secretary of the Council, commended the efforts of the management of NIMASA in transforming the sector.

He also said that the need for the Council to collaborate with NIMASA to drive the blue economy cannot be over emphasised, thus, the visit of NCS team to NIMASA.

Uzoamaka Anagor-Ewuzie