Insulate Blue Economy Ministry From Politics, Ricketts Urges Tinubu
By Olanrewaju Babatunde
A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Akin Ricketts has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to insulate newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy from politics and the civil service, in order to checkmate corrupt tendencies.
Akin, a former two term board chairman of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), stated this in a chat with some newsmen at the weekend in Calabar.
While x-raying the current administration’s one year in office, he said though the government started on a good footing with some laudable and bold policies in the maritime sector, but expressed fear that some corrupt elements in the system may want to frustrate Mr. President.
According to Akin, a one time Commissioner for Information in Cross River state, the aim of creating the new ministry was apparently to dedicate a whole policy making body specifically to an important aspect of our national life, and this most not be allowed to be truncated by few corrupt elements in the system.
“The most important positive decision made by Asiwaju’s government was in my view the creation of a dedicated ministry for Marine and Blue Economy. The aim apparently is to dedicate a whole policy making body specifically to this important aspect of our national life.
“However, I would urge Mr. President to take a step further to as much as is practically possible, insulate the Ministry from politics and corrupting influence of the civil service. It should be professionalized so that it has a solid foundation in order to achieve the desired objectives.
“On walking the talk, I am aware through several sources that NPA is negotiating a deal worth $1b through a contractor to finance and rehabilitate the ports all over the country and not only Apapa and Tin Can ports. For the first time in over a decade, the Oshodi-Apapa expressway has been decongested, and it is now free from unnecessary hold ups, safety and environmental hazards. This is commendable. This, among other initiatives suggest to me that the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led Administration literally is not only committed to her promises, but indeed had been able to deliver within a very short space of time”, he partly stated while fielding questions from newsmen.
On the current economic hiccups in Nigeria, he said all hope was not lost in the Tinubu’s led administration, alluding that the ship of the nation remains in the hand of an experienced captain, adding that the current economic shocks in the country is not limited to Nigeria alone.
Appealing to Nigerians to give the Tinubu’s led administration a little time to turnaround their economic fortunes for good, the former Cross River central senatorial district aspirant in the 2023 general elections, said: “Well, the economic reality is such that a lot of adjustments needed to be done and no one promised they were going to be easy. One only hopes that the policies would be calibrated in such a manner that those aspects that make life unbearable for our people needs to be reviewed, attuned and re-jigged. Government should put in place social safety nets that would soften the ground for Nigerians. However, you will agree with me that most economic policies all over the globe are presaged by certain types of discomforts.
“This is a two way traffic. While the Government is doing its part, you expect the citizenry to also play its role. There is need for us to patronize our local products, cultivate a disciplined attitude, do away with our greed, gluttony and be pragmatic in view of the realities on ground. The Government needs to intensify its efforts at the macroeconomic level to ensure stability and substantial predictability that would enable planning. The Central Bank, you would agree with me, is trying on this score. I'm sure this would be sustained to enable us have some comfort,” Akin added.
