The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and Vice Chairman of the Abuja MOU, Adegboyega Oyetola has urged member states to prioritize the environmental safety of their waters during the 13th Port State Control Committee Meeting of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central African Region (Abuja MoU), hosted by the Government of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
The event concluded this evening, and the minister is expected to return to Nigeria tonight. Oyetola stressed the significance of regulatory bodies and stakeholders in the maritime industry of member states ensuring the safety, security, and eco-friendliness of their maritime territories. He emphasized that these attributes are crucial for advancing the growth of the maritime sector in West and Central Africa.
The minister further highlighted specific areas for improvement within the sector, including the necessity for full ratification and domestication of relevant instruments, adherence to the requirement for member states to inspect at least 15% of vessels visiting their ports, the imperative of recruiting and training Port State Control officers to alleviate the burden on the existing personnel, and the importance of collaborative efforts to prevent substandard vessels from trading within the region.
