Ahead of the forthcoming 16th Marine Technical Summit being put together by the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES), checks by the Nigerian Tribune have revealed that issues bothering on fisheries and desalination will be top on the front burner of stakeholders discussion during the summit.
Disclosing this to the Nigerian Tribune, President of AMES, Engr. Israel Obadan said that the association has taken it as a professional responsibility to support the industry with its wealth of knowledge in marine engineering and related areas, to address needs to drive further development of the sector.
According to Obadan, “Key among the areas to attract high-profile discussions include essential operations in the blue economy such as fishery, desalination – an effort to produce fresh water for improved drinking water for several local communities, and manpower development for efficiency in marine operations.
“We are tailoring this Summit to marine transport and blue economy. This is actually informed by the buzz of the new Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. We want to come in and be able to support the Ministry to know that we have professionals they can call on. We would share with them on things we know, and show them the way things are done.
“Talking about the Blue Economy, Nigeria has been a part of it in a long time. As far back as in the ’70s Nigeria bought the most sophisticated fishing vessels brand new. Koko Port in present-day Delta State was dedicated as a fishing port for that. Now, I think Koko Port has been turned into a Naval Base.
“However, revisiting that blue economy investment is not beyond us, because these things were done in the ‘70s and were backed by very strong economic policy decisions. Such policy decisions were driven by politicians and these can still be done if the right political will exists. This is not different from the possibility that we saw with just one man pushing the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry to life. We had talked so much about it in the years past, but it just took one man to bring it to bear. I hope that after President Tinubu’s time in office somebody would not just come and throw this idea aside.”
Speaking on the effort to highlight the need and importance of desalination, the AMES president said: “It is also important that we highlight the need for desalination, which involves producing fresh water from salt water (Ocean water). Chevron has actually been doing it for a long time now. They have been doing this in the creeks, and this brilliant effort can be done by government too, to support more fresh water production for communities.
“We hope that the policy makers would listen fully to our suggestions. That is why we are inviting all the politicians. We are using this opportunity to encourage them about how well good policies remain helpful even beyond their stay in office.”
The AMES president also emphasised that the nation’s Maritime Training Institutions (MTIs) must be seen and known for proficiency in manpower development for the industry according to set global standard for competency to operate in the marine environment.
