By Samuel Ogude
The Chairman of Waterways and Land Security Committee, Chief Boro Matthew Opudu said one of the ways to achieve Blue Economy and Sustainable Development which includes activities of offshore oil and gas, marine equipment and construction, container shipping, port activities and marine energy among others, is to effectively understand and manage the various aspects of ocean sustainability which includes ecosystem health to prevent pollution.
Chief Opudu stated this on Thursday at the participants of Senior Executive Course (Sec) 47, 2025 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru Jos held at Government House Annex, Edjebar, Warri, Delta State.
According to Chief Opudu, since Blue Economy is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and job while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem according to World Bank, Delta State should not be left behind in the scheme of things.
He said, Blue Economy in Nigeria holds a great promise in the state being one of the major pillars and hubs for its sustainable development of the country’s marine sector as it will not only lead to economic diversification beyond oil and gas but has the ability to create employment opportunities in various sectors thereby contributing billions of dollars to gross domestic products (GDP) of Nigeria.
According to him, apart from insecurity issues in Nigeria, one of the key challenges in the realization of the blue economy and sustainable development is the absence of undeveloped and non-functional sea-ports in Delta State, a situation which frustrates the efforts of the state government at developing non-oil sector which is a way of diversification.
He said:” One of the key issues especially as it affects Delta State is the absence of functional sea-ports in the state. Delta State has a good number of undeveloped and non-functional ports in Warri, Burutu, Sapele and Koko including the existence of many rivers..”
Chief Opudu said, it is the quest of the state government to arrest insecurity which is associated with kidnapping, armed robbery, pipelines vandalism and oil theft in the various communities and multinational companies hence Delta State Waterways and Land Security Committee which encompasses community leaders, stakeholders and youths who are familiar with the terrain to alert the necessary security agencies to make the place safe for investors to come in, was set up.
He said:” In order to arrest this perennial insecurity in the state… Delta State Waterways and Land Security Committee was set to assist government in checking the activities of miscreants, hoodlums and kidnappers as well as to ensure protection of lives and properties on water and land throughout the state”.
The Waterways and Land Security Committee boss said the sustainable and management of ocean resources would require collaboration of across borders and sectors through a variety of partnership on a scale that not been previously achieved.
Earlier in his address, The Team Lead (Sec) 47, NIPSS, Deputy Inspector of Police, Adeleye O. Oyebade(Rtd) said, the team are on the visit to have interaction with the state government through Waterways and Land Security Committee as regards Blue Economy, a new Ministry which is created by the Federal Government to see how best the economy can be diversified to do away with over dependent on oil in the country. According to him, the Federal Government tries to fashion out a modality on how best the coastal lines and all resources in the ecosystem can be effectively utilized to boost the Nigeria’s economy.
He said:” The Blue Economy is a new area of the federal government is looking into, trying to diversify the economy so that we don’t continue over dependent on the oil. Marine and Blue Economy has just been created by this present government…how best we can use our coast lines and all the resources there…”
According to Oyebade, the issues the federal government is interested in looking at, are challenges and way forward on how best to explore and exploit the goodies inherent in the ocean and the opportunities therein to improve the economy of the nation. He said, the team will collate the results of the interaction, writes its reports and present to the federal government of which, the state would be the beneficiary. Oyebade expressed gratitude to the state government through the agency for the warm reception just as he hoped that the exchange of ideas of the subject matter would yield fruitful results in this regard.