It is African Day of Seas and Oceans on Thursday and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo- Ita, and other stakeholders will storm Lagos for occasion.
Organised by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, it is designed to highlight the potential and opportunities in the continent’s vast maritime domain.
The theme is: “Harnessing Nigeria’s Marine Biodiversity for Accelerated Economic Growth.”
Speaking on the essence of the African Day of Seas and Oceans, the Director-General of NIMASA, when he received the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Oladele Bamidele Jaji, said that Africa was greatly endowed with vast maritime resources.
“The importance of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction cannot be over-emphasised, considering that Africa is greatly endowed with vast maritime resources and opportunities which must be harnessed for economic development and wealth creation,” he said.
He added that there was need to dismantle national boundaries that impeded effective utilisation of Africa’s vast marine resources.
He also identified the importance of the Nigerian Navy, saying it would be impossible to benefit from the resources without it.
While describing shipwreck as a major challenge of the Nigerian marine environment, Dakuku said efforts were ongoing to solve it.
