Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola CON, who also doubles as the Vice Chairman of the Abuja MOU, has charged member states on the need to keep the waters of member countries environmentally safe.

He spoke at 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 came to an end this evening and the minister is expected back to Nigeria this night.

Oyetola said it was important for regulators and stakeholders in the maritime industry in the member states to ensure that their maritime domains remain safe, secure, and environmentally friendly.

He added that “these are very key attributes that will advance the growth of the maritime industry in the West and Central African region.”

The minister further emphasised specific areas where more could be done to achieve better outcome in the sector.

He identified the specific areas as : ” The need to achieve full ratification and domestication of all relevant instruments, compliance with the requirement for member States to inspect at least 15% of vessels calling at their ports, the imperative of recruitment and subsequent training of the Port State Control officers to avoid over burdening the few PSCOs in the field and the need for us to collaborate and ensure that no substandard vessel is allowed to trade within the region.”