Graduating cadets of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom, have been urged to harness the enormous prospects in the blue economy for national development.
The call was made by maritime experts who presented papers at the institution’s graduation lecture in Oron on Wednesday.
In his presentation, Mr Oluwafemi Oyeniran, an alumnus of MAN, tasked the cadets to develop passion and dedication to their chosen career.
In the paper titled, “Exploiting and Harnessing the Resources of Marine and Blue Economy for National Development”, Oyeniran said that the maritime sector had the capacity to boost Nigeria’s economy if well harnessed.
He urged the cadets to take advantage of the abundant resources in the country’s marine and blue economy to build productive careers.
“The maritime sector has the capacity boost the economy through increased trade, job creation and revenue generation.
“We must challenge ourselves, we must agree that we can do more with the resources at our disposal.
“With about 853 km coastline, which is about the largest in Africa, Nigeria is very rich if the resources can be effectively can exploited,” he said.
Another presenter, Mrs Edidiong Akpanebe, said that capacity building in the shipping industry was essential for driving sustainable maritime sector and national development.
In the paper titled: “Prospects of Capacity Building and National Development”, described the maritime industry as the lifeblood of the global economy.
“The sector facilitates intercontinental trade and connects global markets. So cadets should be serious in their profession, the marine economy is an indispensable enabler of economic growth,” she said.
She said that Nigeria’s strategic location along major West African shipping routes, extensive coastline, and large population placed the country as a regional economic anchor.
Speaking during the event, MAN’s Acting Rector, Dr Kevin Okonna, said that the lecture was organised by the academy to build the capacity of the graduating cadets.
Okonna said that the blue economy was critical to the Nigerian economy, and that building the capacity of cadets was critical to exploring the resources within the sector.
“Today’s programme reflects our institution’s commitment to marrying academic excellence with practical relevance in the maritime and blue economy sectors.
“We are celebrating achievement, and reflecting on responsibilities, so we need to sharpen the knowledge and skills that will shape our nation’s maritime future,” he said.
