The minister of Marine and Blue Economic system, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to combating unlawful, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing throughout the West Central Gulf of Guinea (GoG), describing it as a serious menace to marine sustainability and regional stability.
Oyetola made the declaration on Thursday in Lagos, following his election as chairman of the Convention of Ministers of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).
The high-level regional assembly, themed ‘Securing Our Ocean Future: Folks, Sources, and Commitments,’ introduced collectively ministers and senior officers from FCWC Member States — Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Togo — alongside representatives of regional establishments, worldwide companions, and maritime specialists.
“Collectively, we should put an finish to the scourge of unlawful, unreported and unregulated fishing in our waters,” Oyetola declared.
He added that, “This menace robs our nations of financial alternatives, threatens our meals safety, and undermines the livelihoods of thousands and thousands who rely on the ocean. Underneath my chairmanship, I’ll work collaboratively with all Member States to make sure stronger enforcement, higher knowledge sharing, and improved governance of our shared marine assets.”
The minister emphasised that his tenure would prioritise regional cooperation, transparency, and capability constructing as instruments to strengthen the collective administration of ocean assets inside the West Central Gulf of Guinea.
He famous that, efficient ocean governance is a shared accountability that calls for political will, coordinated enforcement, and sustained partnerships throughout borders.
Earlier in his keynote deal with to the Convention, Dr Oyetola had welcomed delegates on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Authorities and other people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s robust dedication to the FCWC and highlighted the rising significance of the blue economic system in nationwide improvement.
He additional known as for strengthened joint patrols, harmonised rules, real-time intelligence sharing, and coordinated enforcement mechanisms amongst FCWC Member States. “On the regional stage, cooperation stays our biggest energy,” he noticed. “The outcomes of this convention should translate into actionable measures that strengthen ocean safety, improve financial alternatives, and safeguard the prosperity of future generations.”
