Maritime Varsity Chancellor, Diette-Spiff, hails Tinubu over proposed Coast Guard Service

Chancellor of Maritime University, Okorenkoko in Delta, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, has thrown his weight behind the proposed establishment of Nigeria Coast Guard Service by President Bola Tinubu.

Diete-Spiff, who gave the commendation while receiving the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Bayelsa Governor on Tourism, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo, in his office in Yenagoa on Thursday.

The chancellor, who is also the Amayanabo of Twon-Brass, said that the special maritime force would complement other agencies to police the country’s coastline.

He said that the establishment of the coast guard service has remained his dream over the years, describing the Tinubu-led administration’s plan to establish it as the best thing to happen to the country’s maritime sector.

According to the retired naval top brass and master mariner, the coast guard is usually responsible for carrying out maritime search and rescue operations, maritime law enforcement, maritime safety and marine environmental protection.

He listed other functions to include the conduct of maritime surveillance and security operations on the sea, while it also regulates and inspects vessels and maritime facilities to the reduce risk of marine pollution incidents.

The royal father commended Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa for his foresight and vision on the proposed setting up a Ministry of Blue Economy, in line with the federal government’s vision of developing the nation’s maritime sector.

He stressed the urgent need for the federal government to consider the construction of the coastal road from Bakassi in Cross River to Badagry in Lagos.

Diete-Spiff also applauded the current board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for its plan to construct a coastal rail line that across the littoral states from Lagos to Calabar.

Earlier, Kiyaramo had briefed Diete-Spiff on the activities and programmes of his office, with emphasis on promotion of the coastal and marine tourism potential of the state.

He hinted the royal father on the intention of the governor to create the ministry of blue economy in his second term in office.

The governor’s aide said that maritime security would ensure the stability, safety and prosperity of any maritime state like Bayelsa.

He also said that the new agency would be in a better position to handle issues relating to fisheries protection, pollution control, sanitation, narcotic drugs, prohibited plants, psychotropic substances, illegal firearms and ammunitions as well as protection of maritime resources.

“The blue economy will give us the opportunity to maximise economic resources relating to coastline, seas, oceans and waterways in general.

“It will also restoring the damaged ecosystems and introduce innovative technologies that would help in efficiently and sustainably managing everything the coasts, seas and oceans can offer us as a maritime state and nation,” Kiyaramo said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, had recently announced the federal government’s plan to establish the coast guard service.

He made the announcement during bilateral discussions with ministers and representatives from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Brazil and Jamaica at the 33rd General Assembly session of International Maritime Organisation (IMO).