The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboye Oyetola, has reaffirmed the ministry’s dedication to tackling challenges within the maritime industry.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Secretary General of MOWCA, Paul Idakule, in Abuja, Oyetola emphasised the need to review past actions and activate the issue of the Regional Bank coming on board.
Oyetola commended the President of the African Development Bank (AFDB) for supporting the maritime sector and stressed the importance of the industry taking initiative and ensuring all participating members contribute to financial transactions. He stated, “We are committed to addressing the issues bothering the maritime industry. We will review past actions and activate the issue of the Regional Bank coming on board.”.
Meanwhile, Paul Idakule, the Secretary-General of MOWCA, highlighted the organization’s challenges, stating, “Upon assumption of office, the organization was in a very bad shape with a cash balance of $11,000 in an international organization of this nature and there was an outstanding salary of six months.”
He also mentioned plans for an organized Regional Workshop on the Safety of Inland Waterways and Passenger Ferries in Libreville, Gabon, by the second quarter of 2024, inviting Nigeria’s relevant maritime agencies to attend.
