Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Wednesday visited Ghana to strengthen bilateral cooperation on fisheries governance, sustainable management and the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated, IUU, fishing.
Oyetola, who met with Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Hon. Emelia Arthur, in Accra, said stronger coordination between both countries was critical to tackling IUU fishing, which threatens food security, government revenue and the livelihoods of fishing communities.
He noted that effective collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana would boost the regional response to illegal fishing and promote sustainable management of shared fisheries resources.
The Minister, who is also President of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea, FCWC, said Nigeria’s pilot implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels provides a practical platform for cooperation with Ghana, particularly in verifying vessel authorisations and exchanging information through the FCWC framework.
According to him, technical teams from both countries could work together to identify discrepancies in vessel records and establish agreed procedures for resolving them to improve transparency, compliance and monitoring across the sub-region.
“Our shared interest is to protect fisheries resources, expand sustainable production and strengthen the livelihoods of our people. Nigeria remains committed to working with Ghana towards these objectives,” Oyetola said.
In her remarks, Arthur commended Nigeria for its efforts in combating piracy and the strides recorded in the marine and blue economy sector. She said the fight against IUU fishing remains a priority for Ghana and pledged full cooperation with Nigeria.
She also disclosed that Ghana has developed its own Marine and Blue Economy policy and sought Nigeria’s support in sharing knowledge and experience, given Nigeria’s pioneering role in developing the framework.
As part of his engagements, Oyetola also visited the FCWC Secretariat in Tema, where he met with the Secretary-General, Dr. Antoine Djihinto, and other staff.
He commended the Secretariat for achievements recorded in the past year and reiterated his commitment to working with other member states to strengthen regional fisheries governance and eliminate IUU fishing in the West Central Gulf of Guinea.
He stressed the need for sustained collaboration, coordinated monitoring, control and surveillance, improved information-sharing and effective implementation of regional initiatives to protect fisheries resources and ensure long-term sustainability.
The FCWC comprises six member countries: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo. The Committee provides a framework for regional cooperation in fisheries management, maritime security and promotion of sustainable practices across the sub-region.
The visit reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to deepening regional partnerships, strengthening fisheries enforcement and advancing a sustainable Marine and Blue Economy that supports food security, economic growth and livelihoods of coastal communities.
