Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has urged the Nigerian Navy to work with state authorities to improve safety on the waterways and curb oil theft and other criminal activities. He made the appeal during a courtesy visit by members of Course 7 of the Naval Warfare Faculty, led by Commandant Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, to his official residence in Yenagoa.
Diri praised the Federal Government for its efforts to combat oil theft, emphasizing the need for a zero‑tolerance policy toward activities that have harmed the state, the national economy, and the environment. “The Navy and other security agencies are part of this effort. Your theme—Inland Water Safety, the Blue Economy, and Our Potential in Bayelsa—is very appropriate,” he said. He noted that while the Federal Government’s actions have significantly reduced bunkering, pockets of the practice remain. “We must completely stop bunkering in Bayelsa. It damages our state, the national economy, pollutes the environment, and endangers public health,” he warned.
According to his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Diri also highlighted the untapped economic potential of the state’s maritime sector. He called for harnessing this wealth to generate jobs and boost socio‑economic development for both Bayelsa and the nation. He stressed that a partnership among the state, the Navy, and maritime companies could unlock billions of dollars in maritime resources. Diri thanked Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo for selecting Bayelsa as the venue for the four‑day research tour and reiterated the state’s focus on maritime investment, including aquaculture and boat building.
Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, Commandant of the Naval Warfare Faculty, explained that the theme of this year’s environmental research tour was “Inland Waterways Security, Socio‑economic Development: Bayelsa State in Perspective.” He said participants were expected to propose measures to enhance safety on inland waterways and contribute to the socio‑economic growth of Bayelsa and Nigeria. Akinwande added that the Federal Government is exploring several options to diversify the national economy, including the Blue Economy initiative, which aims for sustainable exploitation of the country’s vast maritime resources valued at $1.5 trillion. The tour included 23 participants, one from Cameroon, and involved visits to selected state ministries and security agencies.
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