Chukwu David 
The Minister of Marine and Blue, Adegboyega Oyetola, has asserted that the Federal Government was determined to revolutionize the Marine Sector through the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy.
The Minister asserted the ongoing two-day Technical Validation Workshop on the development of the National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, held in Lagos State, noting that the crafted policy would comprehensively tackle all challenges and unlock the potentials that abound in the sector.
According to a statement signed on Wednesday by Muhammad Tahir Zakari, Head (of Press & PR), Oyetola described the draft policy as a nine-part document, assuring that the document 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.
Oyetola noted that Nigeria had achieved notable progress in maritime governance, including the ratification and domestication of international protocols and conventions, stressing that the validation workshop would 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 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.
