The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has promised to sustain zero piracy momentum incidence on Nigerian waterways as the country is set to celebrate World Maritime Day.
He described the theme for this year’s celebration, “Navigating the Future: Safety First,” as a fitting narrative for the current happenings in Nigeria.
The World Maritime Day is celebrated annually to provide an opportunity to focus attention on the importance of shipping and other maritime activities and to emphasise a particular aspect of the work of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
In a statement by the Minister’s spokesman, Ismail Omipidan, Oyetola noted that the theme for the 2024 World Maritime Day reflects IMO’s efforts at enhancing maritime safety and security, in line with the protection of the marine environment.
He further expressed the country’s commitment to sustaining the gains of the Deep Blue Project with a view to ensuring maximum security of the country’s maritime domain.
Initiated by the Nigerian Government and led by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Deep Blue Project addresses the complex security challenges in Nigeria’s waterways. Since its full deployment in 2021 within the Nigerian Continental Shelf, maritime security has been significantly enhanced.
The Minister said the enhanced security is “responsible for the record of zero piracy in Nigeria in the last 24 months, and it is to be noted that the United Nations Security Council, at its 905th meeting, acknowledged the progress made by Nigeria in maritime security concerning the contributions of the Deep Blue Project,” he stated.
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