West Africa loses $1.3bn annually to illegal maritime operations
Speaker of the Nigeria House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Thursday, urged African maritime administrations to close ranks and tackle the perennial challenge of illegal and unregulated maritime activities, which rob the West African sub-region a whopping $1.3 billion annually.
Speaking in Abuja at the opening of the 3rd Association of African Maritime Administrations’ (AAMA) conference on Thursday, the Speaker said a coordinated exploration and exploitation of vast maritime resources of Africa hold the key to the continent’s development.
He implored maritime administrations in Africa to tighten their respective legislative, legal and regulatory frameworks to unlock the huge maritime potential on the continent.
Dogara also called for improved inter-Africa trade and commerce, lamenting that foreign dominance of Africa’s lucrative shipping business was not a soothing development.
According to him, Africa’s fishing industry, which is poorly regulated, is worth over €2 billion.
“We need to intensify intra-Africa shipping and fishing business. It’s worth €2 billion. This will help Africa to harness its economic potential. As legislators, we will keep churning out Acts to boost businesses in the country and beyond.
“NIMASA has domesticated 12 International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Conventions to boost safety and security. We are involved in processing various legislation and just last week, we passed the National Transport Commission (NTC) bill to ensure better regulation of the industry.
“We need to develop our transport system, create employment for our youths and grow our economies. Nigeria is a potential maritime power considering the vast deep seas and oceans.
“Days of paying lip service to the maritime sector, especially as it concerns seamen and vessel owners, are over. Africa must lift and control all the cargo it generates. Africans should come first and then others. This is no longer the time Africa will make the bed and then others will lie on it. Now, Africa has to make the bed and Africans will lie on it,” he charged the delegates.
In his welcome address, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said hosting the conference was a great privilege considering that attendees are influential men and women who call the shots in Africa’s maritime sector.
He said Nigeria accounts for over 60 per cent of sea-borne traffic in volume and value in West and Central African region; and as such, should play a prominent role in the development of the continent’s maritime sector.
“We are well located in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). We are a leading player in the sector and we ride high on crest of maritime nations and are committed to advance prosperity in the maritime sector of Africa.
“The conference is coming to Nigeria two years after African leaders, through the African Union, subscribed to the seven key aspirations encapsulated in the Agenda 2063 of the conference held in Ethiopia in January 2015 and three years after the adoption of Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) 2050. So, I am optimistic that the Abuja conference will sail to its shore.”
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