By Steve Agbota
All is set for the 3rd edition of the African Marine Environment Sustainable Initiative (AFMESI) as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, will lead maritime stakeholders and industry experts to the 3rd edition of the summit this Thursday.
Akpabio will be the Chairman of the Day, while Saraki will be the keynote speaker in the event, which holds in Lagos.
The event with the theme: “African Blue World: Which Way to Go?” has the Chairman, House Committee on Maritime and Education, Linda Ikpeazu, as the Special Guest of Honour; the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, as the Chief Host; and the Chairman of Starz Group, Greg Ogbeifun, is slated as a Guest of Honour.
According to the Founder of AFMESI, Dr. Felicia Chinwe Mogo, the event would feature several pertinent maritime topics such as; impact of security and piracy in maritime business; integrated ocean management, science and governance; ocean science and governance in marine environment; accounting for the values and wealth of the maritime; and Africa’s position within various ocean-related international laws.
The topics would be discussed by high profile panelists, including; Dr. Pierre Failer, a professor of Economics at the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom, and Director, Centre for Blue Governance; Prof. Susan Kholeif, a Marine Geologist, Oceanographer and Ecologist at the National Institute of Oceanography & Fisheries, Egypt; Prof. Rasheed Sumaila, Professor, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries Economics Research Unit , Ocean Canada Partnership; Maj-Gen India Garba (Rtd), a trained Combatant, Strategist Logistician, Administrator and Member of AFMESI Advisory Board; Prof. Kelly Hoareau, Director, Blue Economy Research Institute, Seychelles.
Others include; the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Wilfred Machage; Nigeria’s Co-Champion for AfCFTA on Transportation, Madam Funmi Folorunsho. the President of African Women in Maritime (WIMAFRICA) and Principal Counsel, Jean-Chiazor & Co (Ofianyi Chambers), Barr. Jean-Chiazor Anishere (SAN);
In its previous annual conferences, AFMESI, a non-profit organization, availed the maritime sector robust platforms for holistic deliberations on sustainable approaches in managing the nation’s marine environment for optimum value.