President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated three Nigerian Navy (NN) warships and two helicopters at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos. This is in an effort to reduce maritime crimes to the nearest minimum and develop the economy.
Reports stated that while inaugurating the warships and the helicopters, Tinubu charged the Navy to build synergy with other security operatives.
The President urged the Navy to engage in strategic partnerships that would boost the Africa Blue Economy project.
Tinubu stated this through Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented him at the event. The inauguration was a series of events organized in Lagos by the Navy to mark its 68th anniversary.
According to Tinubu, the Navy had since inception, continued to confront contending issues by adopting the most optimal policies and strategies to address the rapidly changing security challenges in the nation.
The President stated this during the presentation of a lecture titled “Promoting the Blue Economy in Africa through International Cooperation on Maritime Security,” The event took place at an International Maritime Conference, Lagos.
Delivering the lecture, Tinubu said the topic encapsulated the major objective of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal(SDG) 14. And the Vision of Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050. He described these as the key targets of Africa’s Agenda 2063.
The President said the conference also offered the best platform for relevant stakeholders. And an opportunity to articulate the mechanism for collaborative action against maritime crimes in Africa.
He maintained that the conference was held at a critical period when Nigeria was faced with multifaceted security challenges.
The President also added that improvement in security conditions was required to significantly raise the contribution of the marine and blue economy sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Significantly, the blue economy is estimated to be worth more than US $1.5 trillion per year globally. And it is projected to increase to US $15.5 trillion by 2050.
“The Africa Blue Economy Strategy estimates that the blue economy currently generates nearly US $300 billion for the continent. Thereby, creating 49 million jobs in the process.
“The Africa Blue Economy is projected to hit US $405 billion by 2030. It is very appropriate to state categorically that any collaborative initiative by the Nigerian Navy to build partnerships across African Navies and Coast Guards is in the right direction.”
He stated that Nigerian Navy had over the years evolved and reinvented itself to effectively deal with the threats in the maritime domains. He noted that the NN had also partnered with other maritime agencies to mitigate the threats affecting the country’s national development.
“These threats have become transnational, beyond the scope and capability of one nation to deal with. The situation calls for greater international collaboration.
“With the array of distinguished officers present at this event from outside the shores of our country, it is very obvious that the Nigerian Navy has assembled a remarkable group of outstanding persons with extensive and much desired collaborative commitment towards finding solutions to the myriad of security challenges in Africa’s maritime environment,” he said.
In his remark, the Minister of State, Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, thanked the organizers of the event. He noted that the Navy has been a symbol of pride to the country. Diligently carrying out its duties of safeguarding her economic interests with unparalleled professionalism.
He, however, expressed optimism that the deliberations of the conference would produce innovative ways to improve professionalism and efficiency.
Matawalle stated that conference will translate to a secure maritime environment for the Gulf of Guinea and Nigeria. And to all seafarers, to conduct legitimate businesses for economic prosperity and national development.
“I believe that the outcomes of this conference will contribute to actualizing the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his contributions, the Chief of the Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, described maritime threats as transnational in nature. He stated that it is capable of hampering the potential of the blue economy of nations.
He said ameliorating these threats was beyond the scope and capability of one nation but required international collaborative efforts.
source: The Nation
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