Maritime’ll lead economic diversification – Buhar

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the maritime sector is being repositioned play a leading role as to take a leading position as one of the viable alternate sources of revenue for the country.
President Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, at the unveiling of a book by the Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr.
Bashir Jamoh on Tuesday in Abuja, noted that Nigeria has relied so much on the crude oil economy and it is time to focus on other sources particularly the Blue Economy.
“It is time to focus on other sources particularly the Blue Economy which covers both aquatic and marine spaces including oceans, seas, coasts, lakes, rivers and underground waters.
Which also encompasses a range of productive sectors; Fisheries, Aquaculture, Tourism, Transport, Ship building, energy, bioprospecting, under-water mining and related activities, all pointing towards economic prosperity, when adequately harnessed.
“We know that the maritime sector has so much to offer the economy in terms of jobs and wealth creation and also contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
On our part as a government, we are determined to walk the talk so that our economic diversification initiative will be fully achieved for the benefit of all Nigerians,” the President stated.
He commended the Dr. Peterside led management of the agency for its efforts in repositioning the maritime sector and for its contributions to the federation accounts.
Amaechi stated further that there is a new NIMASA, stating that the Agency has been transformed to being alive to its maritime regulatory and promotional mandates.
On the book, Amaechi noted that it is a document that should be given adequate consideration as it speaks to NIMASA and other stakeholders in the sector.
Speaking further he said the Federal Ministry of Transportation understands Stakeholders’ yearnings for the urgent review on the guidelines of the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds (CVFF), and called for an immediate meeting in his office to find a lasting solution to it.
On his part, the author of the book, Mr. Bashir Jamoh, noted that the book was borne out of his passion for the development of the maritime sector, adding that this is just the beginning for Nigeria as the intention of the book is to expose the vast opportunities in the maritime sector to equally do well as oil and agriculture have done to the economy