Khadijat Yusuf
Abuja
The Minister of Marine and Blue, Adegboyega Oyetola has stated that the Federal Government is determined to revolutionize the marine sector through the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.
The Minister who stated this at the ongoing 2-Day Technical Validation Workshop on the development of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy holding in Lagos State noted that the crafted policy will comprehensively tackle all challenges and unlock the potentials that abound in the sector.
Speaking, Oyetola described the draft policy as a nine-part document. The document he assured presents an elaborate overview of the marine and blue economic endowments of Nigeria and its current state.
"It affirms our mandate, vision, and mission; which sets the stage for the objectives of the policy and its aspirations. It further dissects these aspirations into five broad parts of legal and institutional framework; maritime transport, trade and shipping; fisheries and aquaculture, marine abiotic resources; and marine innovation and technology It also identifies an array of cross cutting issues and then concludes with a scan of Stakeholders to support the implementation structure. It is comprehensive, " he asserted.
On the journey until now, Oyetola noted that Nigeria has achieved notable progress in maritime governance, including the ratification and domestication of international protocols and conventions. This is even as he stressed that the validation workshop will be a milestone effort in elevating Nigeria's marine and blue economy.
Hear him, " the Federal Ministry of Marine & Blue Economy has painstakingly developed strategies to guide the sustainable use of our marine resources. Our partnerships with the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), the Kingdom of Norway, WorldFish and other stakeholders, have yielded notable strategy and policy documents that are very vital inputs into the National Policy on Marine & Blue Economy.
Furthermore, Oyetola said that as part of efforts for Nigeria to strengthen its voice in global maritime governance, the Ministry is pursuing Nigeria's candidacy for election into the Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola said the validation workshop is key in shaping the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, adding that it is a framework designed to address Nigeria's specific needs and aspirations while embracing sustainable development principles.
He further challenged participants to actively deliberate on the draft that will produce a policy document that will be collectively owned.
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