From Rhoda Godwin, Yenagoa
The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Central Naval Command, Yenagoa Rear Adm. Obinwanne Egbuchulam, on Thursday said, their efforts has reduced criminality in the maritime domain.
He stated this on Thursday, during the 7th annual public lecture of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel, (FCC) Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa Council, at conference Hall of Matho Crystal Hotel Imiringi road.
Speaking on the theme, “Maritime Security: Implications for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry” the FOC said in order to ensure that trade and commerce takes place within the maritime Environment, and by extension the gulf of Guinea on hindered, all form of criminality must be dealth with.
Represented by the Commander NNS Soroh, Commondor Patrick Effah, said the implication of maritime insecurity and the form in which it takes, illegal bunkering, top of the list piracy and sea robbery.
“The Nigerian Navy has been wonderful, they have been out there performing her duty, in checkmating maritime illegality.
“One thing illegality does, it undermines revenue generation for the country, ships wouldn’t come into our water, readily when they do premium that is paid in terms of insurance is high.
“Because of the nation’s water to be high hob of piracy, the Nigerian Navy, has done a lot, has made tremendous efforts and the incident of piracy and sea robbery has drastically reduced,” he said.
The FOC, said that piracy and sea robbery were high as at 2010 to 2012, but with the acquisition of war ships and helicopters their work has been made easy to tackle criminal activities within the waterways.
In his part, the Chairman of the occasion, King Bubaraye Dakolo, maritime security is a serious issue that needs to be tackle very serious in all sphere, in the Niger Delta Region.
He said security is a serious business and should not be left for the security agencies alone but that all hands must be on deck for that to be actualized.
In their Goodwill message, Chairman of FCC, Mr Chris Eze, and the former Chairman, now Director General of New Media to Governor, Mr Kola Oredipe, both said the annual lecture, has been meeting it’s desired expectation.
They commeded the sponsors of the lecture series and the committee that put the programme in place, and also those that graced the event.
In his part, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Ayiba Duba, commended the Federated Correspondent’s Chapel, for put such a unique topic that concerns the State and the region forward for lecturing and discussion.
In his part, Mr Morris Alagoa, Head of Environmental Right Action, said because of kidnapping and other vices people don’t move freely in the waterways anymore, unlike before.
In his goodwill message, the representative of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Chief Owei Bubo, said it’s a right strategy for them to help society through the oil and gas industry.
He said the world is gradually moving from oil and gas, to renewal energy which will soon take over the sector.
