Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) has appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, to lead the development of regional policy on marine and blue economy, in a major move to strengthen maritime security, sustainable ocean governance and economic cooperation among member states.

The appointment follows Nigeria’s development and approval of its first-ever National Policy on Marine and Blue Economy, which the Commission says has inspired its plan to establish a similar regional framework for the Gulf of Guinea.

Established on July 3, 2001, with its headquarters in Luanda, Angola, the GGC is an intergovernmental organisation committed to promoting peace, security, economic integration, sustainable resource development and protection of the marine environment.

Its nine member states are Angola, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister, Dr Bolaji Akinola, and the Deputy Executive Secretary of the GGC, Ambassador Obinna Agbugba, who spoke on behalf of the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Mr José Mba Abeso, disclosed this during a meeting with Oyetola in his office yesterday.