By Onwa Ekor
As the upskilling programme in the Marine and blue economy kicks off, the Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has admonished participants to put the knowledge so acquired into practice.
The event, organised by the State Agency of Blue Economy in conjunction with the federal government and the World Bank, took place at the Kashim Shettima Hall, State library complex Calabar.
Otu who spoke while declaring the event open maintained that the upskilling programme being the first to be organised in the state under his administration, would become a routine development in line with the human capital development of the People First Mantra.
Represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, he reasoned that the programme goes beyond mere talk show as it is rather an interface among the blue economy stakeholders for knowledge acquisition and capacity building, adding that, “our target is to produce key maritime workforce capable of taking up global opportunities.”
The governor informed that his motive for creating an agency in charge of Blue Economy in 2024 was deliberate and aimed at harnessing the untapped economic potential of the Marine ecosystem thereby channelling another robust revenue stream into the state coffer with the development of the sector.
“Cross River effectively align with the federal government in exploration of the resources of Blue Economy.
“As the name implies, Cross River is a litoral state, we are indeed a litoral state with this body of water most significantly in extensive estuary thereby securing more maritime boundaries from the United Nations convention on the law of sea.
“Maritime activities in the state such as shipping safety, sea pollution control are equally regulated under the international maritime organisation.
“Cross River borders the Gulf of Guinea, a major trading route by the sea, the state is equally a frontier to Sao Tome and Principe, these and other maritime connectivity bestowed on the state is a comparative advantage of driving the Blue Economy among the comity of sub-national in Nigeria,” the governor stressed.
In his introductory remarks, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Marine and Blue Economy, Prof. Busayo Fakinlede, affirmed that Cross River remains a strategic ecological and economic asset that is critical in a global economy.
According to Fakinlede, “after a lot of reviews in the coastal States, I was amazed to see that Cross River has in terms of commercial quantity the highest number of fish species hence the state is supposed to be tagged a fish basket of the nation.”
Applauding the governor for the opportunity to interface with relevant stakeholders, the President’s aide intimated that the curriculum for the training covers thematic areas including governance, evidence based data management, ocean literacy, innovations and integrated coastal soil management, even as it carries substantial benefits for Cross River and other neighbouring coastal states.
In a presentation on”unlocking the potential of sustainable Blue Economy for Nigeria: Cross River State in focus,” the Dean of the Faculty of Oceanography in the University of Calabar, Prof Francis Nwosu, argued that the upskilling programme was imperative for the state as it has vibrant youths, culturally welcoming, blessed with rich cultural heritage and mangrove ecosystem with accessible estuary and ocean.
Earlier, in her welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Cross River governor on Blue Economy, Barr. Melodie Lebo, explained that the upskilling programme would lead to sustainable use of ocean resources as the state moves from the coastal lines to the waterways, the shipping environment, ocean resources, climate change, ports including Marine transportation and logistics.
Lebo, an international maritime lawyer, assured that the participants will through the programme, gain the 21st century skills required for the maritime sector.
On viable opportunities for the participants, she disclosed that they would access job opportunities, internships and collaboration with the World Bank as well as secure adequate funding, hinting also that the state government would honour the certificates acquired at the end of the training exercise since they would be trained in line with international standards for the sector.
