FG Plans to Secure Coastline with Guards

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has disclosed plans by the federal government to establish coast guards, as part of efforts to enhance security along coastlines in the country.

Oyetola spoke in his Iragbiji hometown in Osun State yesterday at the 32nd edition of the annual Iragbiji Day celebrations, where money was raised for different community development projects.

The former Osun State governor, who said there were conscious efforts to further secure marine environment in the country, mentioned the existence of the Deep Blue Project that deploys gunboats and other equipment for security on the coastline.

Speaking on the plans to further enhance security along the nation’s coastline, Oyetola said, “We are already looking at the possibility of establishing coast guard which will be design essentially to ensure the safety of our coastline.

“We have not less than 853 kilometres of coastline in Nigeria and about 10,000 perimeter of inland waterways. If we want to ensure coastal tourism, we must provide adequate security. We are working with the Navy, Marine police and others to ensure security.”

Reacting to the conversion of the Sustainable Development Goals Skill Acquisition Centre located in the town to camp the Osun United Football Club by the state government, the minister said he had taken the matter up and insisted that the facility should be used for the purpose it was built.

He said, “It is very unfortunate that the projects that meant to allow our youths to acquire skills are now being turned into camp for football. I don’t have problem with football but you can’t convert the facility that is meant to assist our youths in the area of skill acquisition to camp.

“It is unacceptable. I believe that the federal government will do what is right to ensure that the purpose of creating the centre is achieved.”