In this week’s issue of the Maritime Titbits:

NIMASA urged to fast-track maritime skills center development

A former Senior Special Assistant to Bayelsa State Governor on Tourism, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, has urged the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, to speed up the development of the proposed Maritime Skills Acquisition Centre in Bayelsa State.

Kiyaramo, in a statement, said the facility has the potential to boost blue tourism in the braced region significantly.

According to him, the center will contribute to the growth of blue tourism, promote sustainable tourism practices, create job opportunities, and foster community engagement and participation.

“This aligns with NIMASA’s commitment to introducing educational and skills acquisition programs for coastal communities, as seen in their efforts to establish skill acquisition centers across the country’s six geopolitical zones, including Bayelsa State,” he said.

Kiyaramo emphasized the proposed facility’s game-changing potential in Bayelsa State, stressing its role in revolutionizing blue tourism in the state.

“This cutting-edge facility is poised to make a significant impact by boosting blue tourism,” he said.

According to him, the center would contribute to socioeconomic growth and unlock the state’s vast maritime potential. It would also promote sustainable tourism practices, fostering eco-friendly tourism practices that prioritize environmental conservation and community well-being.

“The facility will no doubt create job opportunities, empower local youths with skills and knowledge, generate employment, stimulate economic growth, foster community engagement, encourage active community participation, and promote cultural exchange and preservation of Bayelsa’s rich maritime heritage,” Kiyaramo stated.

Kiyaramo reiterated that the oceans hold the key to unlocking real wealth and resolving the crises that plague our lands.

He pointed out that the maritime sector, with its vast potential, offers solutions to the challenges the state faces as a purely maritime state, “reminding us that the answers to our problems lie hidden beneath the waves.”