Former President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), Capt. Adewale Ishola, on Friday urged marine research institutes in the country to improve their studies to enable them exploit the abundant resources in Nigeria’s aquatic environment.
Ishola stated this in an interview in Lagos.
He expressed dismay that marine research institutes in the country were not doing enough in spite of available materials to carry out the research.
“We have a lot of research institutes in the country and we also have NIOMAR (Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research) here in Victoria Island.
“They have a research vessel which they just acquired. We are not doing enough. We are not tapping the resources God has endowed us with.
“We are busy chasing shadows and we allow foreigners to take the place where we should be.
“If you are even talking about fishing now; most of the fishing vessels you see around are foreign fishing vessels, who are now harnessing our resources and making away with capital flight.
“When you are talking of fishing, what about marine research or what are our resources under the water? We are not doing enough.”
According to him, marine researchers in the country do not have knowledge of the marine resources available in Nigeria’s aquatic environment.
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