HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADEGBOYEGA OYETOLA
Born on September 29, 1954, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, on September 29, 2023, will be 69. However, there appeared to be little or no preparation for celebration.
Immediately after the ministerial inauguration by President Bola Tinubu, the former governor of Osun State assumed office in Abuja in the newly created ministry. His maiden address on his reception by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani and other management staff of the ministry showed the new helmsman was ready for the national assignment.
“I must say that I am privileged to join this amazing team as the team leader. I want you to know that I am here to support you, to listen to your ideas, and to champion the growth of our marine resources…” Oyetola said.
It’s noteworthy that Nigeria in many areas, has huge potential for economic growth. Marine and Blue Economy is one of the sectors laden with humongous potential which remained unutilized in the last 30 years. Stemming this unwholesome tide must be reason President Tinubu, in his wisdom, carved out the ministry from Transportation with its own vantage for potential maximization and revenue generation for national economic growth.
As evident in his proactive disposition, commitment and clear vision, the Minister also knows the nature and demands of the new ministry in terms of innovation-driven management and coherent policy framework and implementation. No doubt, this is what the erstwhile Osun State governor has been busy with. And that is why this piece celebrates Oyetola’s patriotism and novel approach in his administration and management of the new ministry.
Proactively, to drive home is vision of engendering a responsible management that would see to the maximal utilization of the marine resources, the minister started leading by example with work schedules that clearly show a new era of management. One of the factors that make Oyetola’s new ministry a cynosure of ‘economic conscious minds’ is the attachment of high-profile agencies to Marine and Blue Economy. However, this comes with a challenge, as coordinating these agencies requires experience, expertise and managerial acumen. Being someone that has these requirements, Oyetola didn’t waste time in engaging stakeholders in the agencies. By the following week of assuming office, he had started engaging the agencies in his Abuja office, receiving briefings on their mode of operations, general affairs, challenges and related issues.
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Muhammed Bello-Koko, the Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Chief George Moghalu, and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC),Hon. Emmanuel Jime, among other heads of agencies, had met with the minister with commendations for his unique managerial approach. On Monday, September 4th, 2023, after he had engaged the stakeholders of the agencies in Abuja, the Minister was in Lagos for facility inspection at the Nigerian ports.
In his novel approach and innovative drive to address port decay and other challenges in the agencies, especially in the areas of infrastructural renewal, rehabilitation and implementation of rail-to-port project and stemming the tide of cargo delay, the Minister said he would adopt public-private-partnership concept of management in his administration of the ministry, as he intends to establish a national carrier and thereby eliminate unnecessary fees on petroleum products, including the 30% charge for freight exportation.
On Tuesday, September 12, 2023, the Minister was in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, to attend the Council of Ministers’ meeting of the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central African Region, where, on regional collaboration, he charged member states on the need to achieve full ratification and domestication of all relevant instruments.
A cursory appraisal of his novel performance in 35 days in office vividly shows that he merits the position of Minister of Marine and Blue Economy. And for this, the sexagenarian’s 69th birthday is worthy of celebration.
Dr. Jimoh Olorede,
Iragbiji via oloredejimoh@gmail.com
