Oyetola Resumes Office As Minister, Calls For Team Work To Harness Marine Resources For Economic Progress

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Oyetelola Adegboyega, on Monday, called on the management and staff of the new ministry, to work with him as a team in order to effectively harness the resources of the sector for the benefit of the nation’s economy.

Adegboyega made the call in his remarks during his maiden meeting with the management of the Ministry and heads of agencies under the Ministry, after the official inauguration of the new ministers by President Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He told them that he was in the new Ministry, which was recently carved out of the Ministry of Transportation, to support them and to champion the growth of marine resources in the country, stressing that he believed in the power of collaboration and dedication to service.

The Minister noted that the marine resources hold the key to sustainable economic growth, environmental preservation and technological innovation, saying that his vision “is rooted in the responsible management and utilisation of our marine resources to benefit not only our economy but also the health of our planet.”

Part of his statement reads: “I want you to know that I am here to support you, to listen to your ideas, and to champion the growth of our marine resources. Together, we shall embark on a journey that holds immense promise and responsibility.

“I strongly believe in the power of collaboration, and dedication to service. The collaborative effort of a group to achieving a common goal can only be efficient and effective through team work. This is why I crave your indulgence that we must work as a team to deliver on our mandate. Let us work together to find innovative solutions to the challenges we face, ensuring that our oceans and marine are safe, reliable, and sustainable.

“Our oceans cover more than two-thirds of our planet’s surface, holding the key to sustainable economic growth, environmental preservation, and technological innovation. As we look ahead, my vision is rooted in the responsible management and utilisation of our marine resources to benefit not only our economy but also the health of our planet.

“Experts say the Blue Economy is estimated to be worth more than 1.5 trillion Dollars per year globally. Therefore, given our size as a country and considering the size of our blue economy, we should be a significant player in this sector, so as to contribute immensely to the revenue generation of our country and also provide jobs for the unemployed.

“We must come up with practicable ways of ensuring that our inland rivers, lakes, and waterways are well utilised, both in terms of cargo shipment and passenger transportation. And this can be done by embarking on a holistic dredging campaign for most of our strategically important inland waterways so as to make them navigable for the passage of goods and people.

“We equally have a duty to promote better inter-agency cooperation and coordination between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority.

“As someone with a strong private sector background, we shall promote greater private sector inclusion while fostering greater efficiency through specialisation and the effective delineation of core duties between the units.

“We must seize this opportunity to create positive change, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come. I appreciate your dedication, and I look forward to working alongside each of you in the pursuit of a better Nigeria.

“These are my thoughts as I join you today. I believe that when we are able to do all these and more, we would have contributed our own quota towards realising Mr. President’s renewed Hope Agenda in the Marine and Blue Economy sector. I thank you all for welcoming me and listening to my address. I will now sit back and listen to your ideas and contributions.”

Earlier in her opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transportation, Mrs Magdalene Ajani, assured the Minister of the support of the management and staff of the Ministry to achieve his vision.