Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Transport Calls for Strengthening of Marine Sector Laws

The Commissioner of Transport for Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Orman Esin, has emphasized the need for the enhancement of existing laws in the marine sector to bolster the state’s economy.

During a meeting with the correspondents chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Uyo, he expressed concern that weak or non-robust laws had hindered the state government from capitalizing on up to 5% of the resources entering the state.

Mr. Esin lamented that the state had lost revenue to oil companies operating within its territory due to their classification under the Federal Government exclusive list, which dictates that operations conducted 200 nautical miles from the shoreline fall under federal jurisdiction. However, he pointed out that many of these oil and gas activities were occurring within Akwa Ibom’s territorial waters.

To address this issue, the Commissioner shared that his ministry had established a local content committee to formulate strategies for rectifying the situation. He highlighted the challenge presented by the operations of oil and gas companies trying to evade state-level legal frameworks for revenue generation and taxation by falling under the federal list. As a response, Mr. Esin intends to initiate legislation to establish a workable framework for the Akwa Ibom State Marine sector, which would optimize the state’s revenue potential.

He underscored the vast potential of the blue economy and emphasized that Akwa Ibom State had yet to fully leverage this potential due to the absence of comprehensive legislation. The Commissioner announced plans to inaugurate the Ministry of Transport Local Content Committee to address this issue and develop a robust legal framework.

Mr. Esin also revealed collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Internal Security to address challenges of insecurity and piracy in the waterways. Furthermore, he shared that the state government had partnered with the Nigerian Navy to enhance marine transportation, providing an alternative to road transportation. The Nigerian Navy has reportedly submitted designs for ferries and cargo boats that will be completed within six months, facilitating transportation between Oron and Calabar. This move is expected to diversify transportation options and foster economic growth in the region.