Today, I consider this a great honour and rare privilege to stand again before my mentor and boss, the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Isiak Adegboyega Oyetola to deliver this goodwill message on behalf of our Managing Director, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho.
The theme of this year event is “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity.” This theme aptly captures the increased responsibility placed on each and every one of us as stakeholders in maritime industry, to take frontline ownership of the ocean, on whose sustainability, the very sustenance of humanity rests.
With over 90 percent of global trade, which accounts for half of the world’s economic output, the maritime industry thereby constitute an important economic driver, that helps to spur development and reduce poverty. Therefore, every member of the maritime, and indeed the global community, is directly or indirectly a beneficiary of the ocean. So, we are all duty bound to become more intentional and deliberate in our responsibility to protect the ocean and its resources.
Beyond fanfare, there is need for every stakeholder here to rise from this celebration with a stronger commitment to take actions that makes the ocean cleaner. Indeed, making global port operations eco-friendlier and actualizing the other noble objectives of the World Ports Sustainability Program rests heavily on our shoulders as maritime stakeholders.
Although, it is good to know as studies have shown that sea transport is the most environmentally friendly of all the transport forms, it is much more important, to acknowledge that we owe posterity a duty, to not only continually formulate and implement policy that protect the ocean, but to maintain as individuals, and institutions a behavioral pattern that places the highest premium on protecting the ocean.
Honorable Minister, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I have said all of these to establish the irrefutable fact that we are all beneficiaries of the ocean, and the time has come to give back to our dear benefactor, the ocean by protecting and making her cleaner, not just by talking but in specific and measurable action steps.
Whilst assuring of the unwavering commitment of the Nigerian Ports Authority under the leadership and guidance of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to the continuous promotion of port eco-friendliness, permit me to remind us of the enduring connection between humanity and the ocean.
Let me leave you with the seminal words of John F. Kennedy that “We have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean”.
Indeed, as we make up our minds to clean up the ocean for sustainability, we are making up our minds to clean up ourselves.
I thank you very much for listening and God bless.
*Being excerpts of the goodwill message by the Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho at the World Maritime Day celebration in Lagos…recently.
