Ondo State Partners NIMASA on Development of Marine Environment

The Ondo state government has struck a partnership deal with the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the development of the abundant marine resources in the state.
The state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, while playing host to NIMASA delegation led by its Executive Director (Operations), Rotimi Fasakin, said the time had come to have a proper department for maritime studies in any of the state’s higher institutions.

He expressed Ondo state government readiness, to partner NIMASA towards developing the waterways in the state.
Akeredolu maintained that, the waterways could serve as another major means of travel in Nigeria.

He said: “Most boats in our coastal areas were built by our people. They have mastered that art, they have skills and we can tap into it.”

The governor also called for effective action to be taken to free waterways of water hyacinth which he said was impeding the development of water transport as an alternative mode of transportation saying, “when water hyacinth is properly harvested, it could be used for something else, even for biogas”. Akeredolu opined that, waterways in Nigeria was clogged with water hyacinth, and therefore advised that something should be done to harvest them.

Earlier, Rotimi Fasakin, Executive Director (Operations) of NIMASA, said the visit was to leverage on the state’s efforts to make the waterways pollution- free.

Fasakin said the visit was also to sensitise people in the riverine areas on security and adequate management of maritime space.

He promised to work on the possibility of making the Araromi-Lagos route a reality to enhance transportation on the waterways.

In his words, “all these are geared toward making our impact felt in a larger dimension.

“Ondo State constitutes a large portion of Nigeria’s expansive coastline, so it’s important that the state should be able to exploit the resources of the marine environment,” he concluded.