By Jude Michael
Nigeria is set to join the rest of the world to commemorate the 2024 World Maritime Day with the theme, “Navigating the Future: Safety First”.
Speaking ahead of the event, His Excellency, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that its agencies operated in accordance with globally recognized standards.
‘This year’s theme for World Maritime Day is particularly relevant, as safety is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving a robust and business-friendly maritime sector. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is dedicated to ensuring that the Blue Economy makes a significant contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP,’ Oyetola said.
For his part, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, took the opportunity to assure stakeholders and investors that Nigerian waters were safe for investment and pledged to create an enabling environment for growth in the sector.
In the words of Mobereola, ‘Safety is at the core of our mandate at NIMASA. Whether it’s the safety of life and property at sea or the safety of investments, we are forward-looking and committed to implementing government policies that will ensure a sustainable future for maritime in Nigeria.’
The President of the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors, AMES, Engr. Israel Obada, disclosed that the issue of safety could not be over-emphasized in the daily operations of the Nigerian maritime sector.
‘As Surveyors, it is pertinent to state that the health of the vessels plying our waterways matters because the classification of vessels plays a key role in assessing their overall health, which in turn impacts the maritime sector as a whole. This makes safety a priority in the sector, not only in Nigeria, but globally.’
Engr. Emmanuel Ilori, a member of AMES, reinforced the importance of prioritizing safety. He added that they were eager to collaborate with the Agency, while also ensuring that all ships that plied Nigeria’s waters were safe, thereby enhancing the safety of life and property. This aligns with the goals of the Blue Economy for a sustainable ocean.
World Maritime Day was first celebrated in 1978 to mark the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the IMO Convention. Since then, celebrations have taken place worldwide to highlight the importance of shipping safety, maritime security, and the marine environment, while emphasizing specific aspects of the IMO’s work.
Nigeria’s commemoration of World Maritime Day 2024 was scheduled to take place in Lagos last Thursday, September 26. The Honourable Minister, Oyetola, along with all the agencies under the Ministry, was expected to be in attendance.
