By Noah Ccheni, Lokoja
The Minister for Marine and Blue economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola on Tuesday in Lokoja ordered the National Inland Waterways (NIWA) to commence the implementation of the newly developed Marine code to improve security along the nation’s waterways.
The Minister gave the order on Tuesday while unveiling Inland Waterways Transportation Regulations 2023, to boost effective services of water transportation system along the riverine communities.
Among the right legacy projects developed by management of the National Inland Waterways, (NIWA) headquarters in Lokoja and commissioned by the Minister includes; Administrative Building, Staff Clinic, Reception Building, Police Building, Fire Fighting Equipment, Hydrographic Boats, 62-Seater Passenger Boat and Water Ambulances, Watercrafts.
“I want to call on the management of this all important sector to start the immediate implementation of the newly developed marine code in order to address all the security challenges along the nation’s waterways”.he said.
According to him,the NIWA act waiting to be passed would soon become a reality adding that the Marine code would be useful in tackling the security challenges pending the time the bill would be passed into law.
Adegboyega pointed out that only 3,000 out of the 10,000 kilometers waterways in the country are navigable adding that the Marine code would come handy in addressing the underutilization of the enormous potentials in the sector.
The Minister also called on private sector consider exploring the potential business opportunities in available in the nation’s waterways in line with the vision of President Tinubu which placed so much emphasis on the blue economy.
Earlier,the managing Director if the National Inland Waterways, NIWA,Bola Oyebamiji called on the staff of the organization to always come up with ideas that would help to catapult NIWA to achieve it’s economic potential in line with the vision of Mr President.
“My doors are always open, to welcome ideas and suggestions that would help in assisting NIWA to realise the vision of Mr President who believes that there are enormous economic potentials in the Marine sector.”
In his goodwill message, the Kogi state Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo praised president Tinubu for appointment of technocrats like Adegboyega as minister of federal republic of Nigeria.
The governor who was represented by his deputy, Salifu Joel Oyibo, expressed confident in the ability of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega, to bring more innovation in the Marine sector.
