Minister Applauds Maritime Academy Rector On Waterways Safety

The minister of marine and blue economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has applauded the acting rector of the Maritime Academy Of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Dr Kevin Okonna, for forging a robust platform of communication and understanding towards ensuring a sustainable safety on the nation’s inland waterways.
The minister, who disclosed this at a two-day Safety Awareness Workshop for Boat Operators and Users, titled: ‘Harnessing the Opportunities of Marine and Blue Economy with Safety of Inland Waterways Transportation in Perspective,’ held in Oron, Akwa Ibom State said minimising boat mishaps on the nation’s Inland waterways are top priorities for his ministry.
The minister, who was represented by the deputy director, Cabotage and Shipping Development, Ekanem Selia, said safety on the nation’s inland waterways is a concern for all.
The minister, however, applauded the acting rector, Dr Okonna, saying, the stakeholders’ engagement organised by the academy is timely and a key to forging a robust platform of communication and understanding towards the path of ensuring sustainable safety on the nation’s inland waterways.
“This is a crucial stakeholder engagement; it is timely and key to forging a robust platform of communication and understanding towards the path of ensuring stainable Safety on our waterways. The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in collaboration with its agencies – National Inland Waterways Authorities ((NIWA) and Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron – is committed to promoting Safety as the theme of this event connotes ‘Harnessing the opportunities of Marine and Blue Economy with the safety of Inland Waterways Transportation in perspectives,” he stressed.
Speaking earlier, the managing director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebamiji, said the nation’s inland waterways hold immense promise for catalysing economic growth across multiple sectors.
Oyebamiji, who was represented by the authority’s general manager, Marine, Engr. Dakio Horsfall, said NIWA is seriously committed to unlocking the full potential inherent in the nation’s inland waterways.
“Our nation is endowed with an extensive inland waterway network spanning over 10,000 kilometres, yet only about 3,000 kilometres are currently navigable year-round. These waterways hold immense promise for catalysing economic growth across multiple sectors, including trade, tourism, fisheries, energy, and industrial development,” Oyebamiji stated.
The NIWA boss further lamented that unsafe water transportation not only jeopardises businesses and discourages investment but, most critically, endangers lives.
He argued that with collaboration and strategic interventions, the nation’s Inland waterways can still be positioned as a leading force in the global maritime industry.