By Gloria Ikibah
All efforts to establish a coastal guard agency have encountered another obstacle in the House of Representatives.
Chairman House Committee on Navy, Rep. Yusuf Gagdi, reaffirmed that creating such an agency is unnecessary and counterproductive, given the Nigerian Navy’s (NN) primary role in ensuring maritime security.
After a budget defense session at the National Assembly in Abuja, Gagdi stated that the committee’s opposition to the proposal was largely due to the chronic underfunding of the Nigerian Navy.
Gagdi also condemned attempts to bypass the House Committee by presenting the proposal to the Senate after it was rejected last year.
The committee’s decision followed consultations with relevant agencies, including the National Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
“We have a Navy that is working hard but suffocated,” Gagdi said. “Surprisingly, those who want the Coast Guard have appeared before the Senate to say they want it. We don’t want it. We have a Navy that is suffocated and wants additional funding. It would be irrational to consider another agency when the Navy is not adequately funded.”
Rep. Gagdi who acknowledged the operational challenges faced by the Navy, which including the maintenance of its platforms and jetties, pledged the commitment of his committee to increase the Navy’s funding.
He described the Navy as the most strategically important military outfit for Nigeria’s economic and national survival.
Naijablitznews.com reports that the push for a Nigerian Coast Guard gained traction on December 5, 2024, when stakeholders convened at the National Assembly for a public hearing on the Nigerian Coast Guard (Establishment) Bill, 2024.
The bill which was sonsored by Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun, seeks to create a specialized agency under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and when signed into law, its mandate would include maritime safety, environmental protection, and the enforcement of civil maritime laws.
The session was attended by key stakeholders, including the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; the Hydrographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral Ayodeji Olugbode; and the Vice Chancellor of the Admiralty University of Nigeria (ADUN), Prof. Dili Ofuokwu.