The Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said maritime will soon take over from oil as the country’s leading revenue earner.
He urged the media, especially maritime correspondents, to support the government’s drive to diversify the economy for growth and create alternative opportunities for investments.
The NIMASA chief spoke while receiving the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by its National President, Mr. Abdulwaheed Odusile, at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos.
Peterside, while noting that the media is the interface between the public and the government, urged journalists to be professional in their reporting as people look up to them as major sources of information.
He said: “We urge you to support the Government as it diversifies the economy for a better future for the entire Nigerian populace. You have to be fair and professional while reporting Government activities in order not to create unnecessary panic amongst the public.”
Peterside urged stakeholders to tap opportunities in the maritime sector.
Peterside added: “The ocean is a resource a country can leverage on to grow its economy and blessed with a coastline of about 853km and 250 nautical mile Exclusive Economic zone, we must begin to take advantage of the maritime opportunities available to us to grow our economy.”
Odusile, who had on his entourage Chairman of Lagos branch of NUJ, Mr. Deji Elumoye, said his colleagues would do more to focus on government activities geared towards revamping the economy. He added that special attention would be on agencies, such as NIMASA that are in the frontline of driving the diversification process. He noted that this will help ensure a virile maritime industry and a greater economy.
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