Editorial
As Nigerians are awaiting passage of Nigerian Coast Guard Bill
The Nigerian Coast Guard Bill is a well thought out legislative instrument that would take the nation to the next level of securing its maritime resources like any well organized countries of the world.
The vast marine resources of the nation cannot continue to be left on an ad-hoc system whereby the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency are the agencies administering the marine resources as Nigeria continue to suffer economic hemorrhage and lose billions of naira annually due to illegal exploitation of marine resources.
The establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard is in consonance with the global best practices and would address a critical gap and enable Nigeria to fully leverage its maritime potential. The United Kingdom, India, United States of America, Australia, Canada and others, have long robust history of how Coast Guards changed positively the narrative of managing marine resources, hence, Nigeria need to wise up to join the community of well structured Coast Guard nations to its advantage.
The establishment of a coast guard aligns well with the recommendations of the International Maritime Organization, IMO, the United Nations agency dedicated to maritime affairs. The IMO guidelines highlight the necessity of having a dedicated maritime security agency responsible for implementing international standards for maritime safety and security.
On 5th December, 2024 during a public hearing on the now pending bill to “Establish Nigerian Coast Guard”, it was unfortunate that the Nigerian Navy could degenerate to selfishness by opposing the establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard despite overwhelming advantages presented by experts in maritime industry like Dr. Olisa Agbakoba and numerous other stakeholders.
From the public hearing, it became clearer that the mandate of the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard and the statutory duty of the Nigerian Navy cannot in any way crisscross, as Navy’s duty is that of combat and defence, while the Nigerian Coast Guard is that of managing marine resources and prevention of illegal exploitation of the resources.
Objecting the bill, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla through his representative contended that there was no need for the establishment of the Nigerian Coast Guard, which the Nigerian Navy has been discharging for the past 40 years.
While we lend our strong advocacy to the establishment of Nigeria Coast Guard, integrating the Navy into the Coast Guard structure remains a viable option, like practices used by other countries. This arrangement would enable the Navy to lend its specialized skills and resources to support the Coast Guard’s operations, when needed while preserving the Coast Guard’s overall civilian mandate and organizational independence.
We urge the 10th National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio to pass this very important bill into law as Nigerian Coast Guard would effectively address various maritime issues, with its primary responsibilities to include implementing maritime regulations, protecting Nigeria’s extensive economic resources, and enforcing the nation’s maritime laws, such as the Cabotage Act and the Merchant Shipping Act.
This specialized focus would enhance the enforcement of regulations, increase revenue generation, and improve the protection of Nigeria’s marine environment.
