PORT HARCOURT – Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has called for urgent measures to halt the persistent illegal exploitation of Nigeria’s maritime resources by foreign fishing trawlers, warning that the country’s blue economy cannot thrive while its marine wealth is being depleted without compensation.
Fubara made the call while declaring open the 66th Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) in Port Harcourt.
The conference, themed “The Gulf of Guinea and the Blue Economy: Pathways to a One Trillion Dollar Economy,” brought together key stakeholders to discuss strategies for harnessing the region’s maritime potential for economic growth.
Represented by the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, Fubara said Nigeria must strengthen surveillance and enforcement to protect its territorial waters from illegal foreign fishing activities.
According to him, foreign fishing vessels continue to exploit the country’s rich marine resources without paying taxes, royalties or other forms of compensation.
“We must wake up and be the watchdog and make sure that what is ours remains ours. I have mentioned it on several occasions that trawlers come to our coast, the West African coast, the Nigerian coast, to scoop up seafood and go away,” he said.
“They don’t pay taxes; they don’t pay any premium. So, I thank NACCIMA for this wake-up call. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”
The governor stressed that safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime assets is critical to unlocking the enormous opportunities in the blue economy, creating jobs, boosting government revenue and ensuring sustainable development.
He urged government agencies, the private sector and maritime stakeholders to work together to protect the nation’s coastal resources and maximise the economic benefits of the Gulf of Guinea.
Credit: Vanguard
