The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola
FG secures coastline. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has disclosed plans by the Federal Government to establish coast guards, as part of efforts to enhance security along coastlines in the country.
Oyetola spoke in his Iragbiji hometown in Osun State on Saturday at the 32nd edition of the annual Iragbiji Day celebrations, where money was raised for different community development projects.
The former Osun State Governor, who said there were conscious efforts to further secure marine environment in the country, mentioned the existence of the Deep Blue Project that deploys gunboats and other equipments for security on the coastline.
Speaking on the plans to further enhance security along the nation’s coastline, Oyetola said, “We are already looking at the possibility of establishing coast guard which will be design essentially to ensure the safety of our coastline.
“In Nigeria, we have 853 kilometers of coastline and approximately 10,000 kilometers of inland waterway perimeter.” We must provide enough protection if we are to ensure coastal tourism. To assure security, we are collaborating with the Navy, Marine police, and others.”
In response to the state government’s conversion of the Sustainable Development Goals Skill Acquisition Centre in town to a camp for the Osun United Football Club, the minister claimed he had taken the matter up and insisted that the facility be used for the purpose for which it was established.
“It is very unfortunate that the projects that were meant to allow our youths to acquire skills are now being turned into football camps,” he remarked. I don’t have problem with football but you can’t convert the facility that is meant to assist our youths in the area of skill acquisition to camp.
*It is unacceptable. I believe that the Federal Government will do what is right to ensure that the purpose of creating the centre is achieved.”