- Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola (left), and Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, during a bilateral meeting in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday
By Felix Iwebunor
Nigeria and Ghana have begun strengthening bilateral cooperation on fisheries governance, sustainable fisheries management and the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in their shared interest to protect fisheries resources, expand sustainable production and strengthen their citizens’ livelihoods.
Towards this end, Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, met with the Ghanaian Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, met on Wednesday in Accra during his visit to Ghana.
In the meantime, as part of efforts to advance regional cooperation during Nigeria’s chairmanship of the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC), Oyetola, who is also the committee president, used the opportunity to engage with the FCWC Secretariat and the Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Centre in Tema, Ghana.
During the meeting with his Ghanaian counterpart, Oyetola emphasised the need for stronger coordination between both countries in tackling IUU fishing, describing the menace as a shared concern with serious implications for food security, government revenue and the livelihoods of fishing communities, according to his Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola.
The minister noted that effective cooperation between the two countries would strengthen the wider regional response to illegal fishing and contribute to the sustainable management of shared fisheries resources.
He highlighted Nigeria’s pilot implementation of the Regional Record of Authorised Fishing Vessels as a practical platform for enhanced cooperation with Ghana, particularly in verifying vessel authorisations and exchanging relevant information through the FCWC framework.
According to him, technical teams from both countries could work together to identify discrepancies in vessel authorisation records and establish agreed procedures for resolving them, thereby improving transparency, compliance and fisheries monitoring across the sub-region.
For her part, Arthur commended Nigeria’s efforts in combating piracy and its strides in the marine and blue economy sector. Reaffirming that the fight against IUU fishing remains a priority for Ghana, she pledged her country’s full cooperation with Nigeria in addressing the challenge.
She also disclosed that Ghana had developed its own marine and blue economy policy, and sought Nigeria’s support through shared knowledge and experience, noting Nigeria’s pioneering position in developing such a policy framework.
Meanwhile, Oyetola also met with the FCWC Secretary-General, Dr. Antoine Djihinto, and other staff members of the secretariat. He commended the secretariat for its achievements over the past year and reassured of working closely with other FCWC member-states on regional fisheries governance and elimination of IUU fishing in the West Central Gulf of Guinea.
He stressed that coordinated monitoring, control and surveillance, improved information-sharing and effective implementation of regional initiatives are essential to protecting fisheries resources and ensuring their long-term sustainability.
The six-member FCWC, comprising Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo, provides a framework for regional cooperation in fisheries management, maritime security and the promotion of sustainable fisheries practices across the West Central Gulf of Guinea.
