Why Bayelsa, NIMASA partnership is important, by Diri

By Simon Utebor, Yenagoa

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has said his administration cherishes the relationship with the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) because the maritime sector has great potential for the state’s economic advancement.

Diri spoke at a dinner organised in honour of the NIMASA Director-General, Bashir Jamoh, at the Government House in Yenagoa.

The governor noted that the riverine nature of the state made the partnership imperative.

A statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, said the visit marked the beginning of a new page in the relationship between the state and NIMASA.

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Diri noted that oil wealth would not last forever, hence the need to turn attention to the maritime sector, which holds great potential for the state’s advancement economically.

He said: “When we visited you in Lagos, you truly promised to return our visit. In Bayelsa State, our environment is almost 90 per cent riverine. Crude oil is losing value and we must open a new page for our economic prosperity. The new windows and our riches are in the maritime domain. Everything in the ocean is money.

“This partnership will open up employment for our youths. It is a new dawn of progress, development and prosperity in Bayelsa.”

Jamoh thanked Diri for the warm reception accorded him and his team, and congratulated him on his victory at the courts, describing it as divine.

He lauded the governor for his foresight ‘which had led him to look beyond oil’, saying such vision was in line with the mandate of NIMASA. Jamoh promised to work with the government to diversify the state’s revenue sources.