States situated along the country’s coastline have stressed the need for harmonised maritime laws to strengthen security across the waterways and improve cross-border trade between Nigeria’s coastal communities and neighbouring countries.
They spoke in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom, under the aegis of the Nigerian International Coastal Border Platform.The forum also demanded that a percentage of revenue from maritime taxes and crude oil exports be dedicated to coastal security funding.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the platform’s inaugural summit, which was made available to journalists in Akure, Ondo State capital, the forum resolved that Nigerian laws, including the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act, should be harmonised for more efficiency in implementation.
According to the delegates from seven coastal states, who attended the event, the forum marks the beginning of a multi-sectoral approach to tackling issues in the coastal areas.
The delegates include Senators Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Akon Eyakenyi, Dr OlayideAdelami, Rt Hon. Peter Odey, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, and Monday Onyeme, deputy governors of Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Cross River, Ogun and Delta states, while the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, was represented by the permanent secretary in his office, Mrs Mobolaji Daba.
According to the Chairman of the forum and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the platform became necessary to rally governments of the coastal states to jointly address several issues peculiar to the areas.
He said: “In the coastal states, we have a peculiar problem of ocean surge that is affecting our coastal communities, and these communities are being washed away under our eyes.
“We have the issues of sea piracy and encroachment into our waterways in the name of fishing. When we talk about our people in the coastal communities, to what extent are they being taken care of, and to what extent are social amenities being provided for them and others who live around these areas?”
Opening the event, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, expressed delight at the physical presence of almost all the deputy governors of the coastal states, which he said was indicative of the seriousness attached to the issues of the coastal communities.
Eno stressed that the theme of the summit, which is ‘Enhancing the potential of International Coastal Border Communities for National and Recreational Development: The Role of Stakeholders’, has deep national security implications’.
In his goodwill message, the Deputy Governor of Ondo state, Olayide Adelami, reiterated the readiness of the Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa administration to support every development initiative with other coastal states to address key issues affecting the areas. He commended President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the growth of the blue economy under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
