Blue economy, world’s fastest growing sector, says Dakuku Peterside

 
The Director-General (D-G) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has charged Nigerians to key into the opportunities afforded by the Blue economy stating that it is the fastest growing sector in the world with enormous business potentials.
The D-G, who made this known recently at the 23rd Nigerian Economic summit themed “Opportunities, Productivity and Employment: Actualizing the Economy Recovery and Growth Plan”, said that with the length of the nation’s coastline and the attendant volume of maritime trade, Nigeria is at an advantage of developing the blue economy and stakeholders have to actively participate to reap the benefits of the sector.
According to Peterside, “developing the blue economy is paramount across the globe now, and the public and private sector have to collaborate to sustainably harness the potentials of our maritime sector for the benefit of the Nigerian economy especially as the Federal Government continues the economic diversification drive”
The NIMASA D-G also stated that it was high time Nigerians began to tap into the opportunities embedded in our   maritime  sector  adding that economies of the likes of Singapore, Ukraine and South Korea thrives on the activities of their maritime sector.
He further suggested that with improved  maintenance culture, adequate data management and statistics as well as  articulated actions from  stakeholders backed up with  political will, Nigeria will be a leading light in the comity of maritime nations.
Peterside further advocated synergy within stakeholders stating that the Agency with the support of the Federal Government is working assiduously to ensure that Nigerians reap the benefits that abound the sector. He pointed out that the newly approved maritime security architecture will effectively reduce piracy and other related sea crimes.
The Nigerian Economic summit serves as a platform where stakeholders from both public and private sectors converge to chart a way forward for the development of the Nigerian economy. This year’s event had  notable maritime stakeholders which included  Dr. Olisa Agbokoba, the Executive Secretary Shippers council, Mr.Hassan Bello, Captain Iheanacho, amongst others.
It would be recalled that Peterside had always charged stakeholders to actively participate in the Nigerian maritime sector in order to support the growth of the country’s blue economy. This was also evident at the recently concluded Harmonised NIMASA Stakeholders Interactive Forum with the theme “Synergy: An Instrument for Sustainable Development of the Blue Economy” organised by the Agency.