Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to the peace, security and stability of the Gulf of Guinea, particularly ongoing reforms in the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC). He particularly noted Nigeria’s commitment to regional cooperation and to the African Union’s 2050 Integrated Maritime Strategy.
The Vice President stated this on Tuesday when he received the Executive Secretary of GGC, Mr Jose Mba Abeso, and his team on a courtesy visit to the Presidential, Abuja. Continuing, the Vice President said, “As Africa’s most populous nation and unarguably the largest economy, Nigeria has interests to protect, promote, project, and preserve in the Gulf of Guinea.
He reassured that some of the issues raised, the President will give them the desired attention as govt wants the Gulf of Guinea to function effectively. He commended the management of the GGC, assuring it of Nigeria’s “unalloyed commitment to the ideals and objectives of the commission.”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of GGC, Mr Jose Mba Abeso, solicited Nigeria’s support for the commission’s reform programmes aimed at expanding its membership to include all the 19 coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea, and improving peace and security in the region.
The Executive Secretary also spoke about the need for stakeholders in the region to jointly engage insurance companies in reviewing the high premium paid for the movement of goods in the Gulf of Guinea.Commending Nigeria’s leading role in the establishment of the Combined Maritime Taskforce in the region, Mr Abeso sought President Tinubu’s support in rallying other political leaders in the region to operationalize the force.
