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Chairman, BRACED (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta) Tourism Promotion & Development Initiative (BTPDI) and Publisher of The Blue Economy Magazine Online, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo has said that the Blue Economy would generate employment opportunities for the youth and women in fishing, aquaculture, marine transportation, shipbuilding, coastal & marine tourism and more, thereby contributing to the state’s economy.
Dr. urged the new Bayelsa State Commissioner for Blue Economy, Dr. Faith Azibenua Zibs-Godwin, to initiate a process of formulating strategic policies for proper coordination of Blue Economy initiatives in order to harness the untapped potential of the ocean and coast for food security, job creation and economic growth.
Dr. Kiyaramo specifically identified fisheries and aquaculture, maritime transport, logistics services and tourism as key sectors that would deliver quick and sustainable results for food security and employment creation in Bayelsa State, reiterating that a framework for supporting the development of smallholder aquaculture and the priority fisheries value chains for small scale artisanal fishers for nutrition and food security, environmentally sound development and resilience building to climate change was imperative.
Speaking with newsmen on the prospects of the newly created Ministry of Blue Economy at the weekend in Yenagoa, Dr. Kiyaramo acknowledged the commitment of the state governor, Senator Douye Diri towards developing Blue Economy in the state, pointing out that the prosperity administration has really demonstrated its commitment to harness marine-based resources through the new Ministry of Blue Economy.
The immediate past Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Bayelsa State Governor on Tourism stressed the urgent need for government to strengthen the new ministry’s capacity to monitor, control the illegal Unregulated and Unreported fishing activities through surveillance and law enforcement within the exclusive economic zone by acquiring sophisticated patrol vessels and other security facilities.
“Nigeria needs to implement it’s obligations under our fisheries management and development legislations and put in place a mechanism for effective and efficient monitoring, control and surveillance of her exclusive economic zone to prevent Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing with a view to strengthenng the security of its maritime space.
“Establish a national ocean and fisheries council to co-ordinate and harmonize government’s own approach to ocean governance, develop a Blue Economy Policy and Strategy for the Coordination and enhancement of Nigeria’s benefits in the blue economy,” Dr. Kiyaramo advised.
It would be recalled that with piracy increasing in the waters off West Africa, Nigeria launched its Deep Blue Project, a multipronged approach to confronting crime in the Gulf of Guinea. The $195 million effort brings together a mix of ships, aircraft, and drones to patrol the busy shipping lanes off Nigeria’s coast.
