From Jude Oke, Bayelsa
The Provisional Committee of the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG) has expressed concern over the delay in passing the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill before the 10th National Assembly.
PC-NCG maintained that sustainable growth of Nigeria’s Blue Economy depends on effective maritime security, stressing that there can be no Blue Economy without Blue Security.
In a statement issued by the Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, quoted PC-NCG Chief Executive Officer, Captain Noah Ichaba, as describing the Coast Guard as a national necessity.
According to Ichaba, the absence of a dedicated Coast Guard has created longstanding gaps in maritime security, safety, environmental protection, governance, and economic development.
He argued that efforts to tackle maritime insecurity without establishing a Coast Guard only address symptoms while leaving the root causes unresolved.
“A nation cannot secure its waters by continually responding to the effects of a structural deficiency while refusing to fix the deficiency itself,” he said.
Ichaba likened the situation to bailing water from a leaking vessel without sealing the breach, warning that every year of delay prolongs avoidable losses.
He urged policymakers and stakeholders to view the Coast Guard proposal as an accountability issue rather than a policy preference.
The PC-NCG boss noted that a Nigerian Coast Guard would create thousands of jobs for seafarers, engineers, rescue personnel, environmental experts, intelligence officers, and other professionals.
He also said the agency would strengthen maritime governance, improve international cooperation, and enhance Nigeria’s representation in global maritime institutions.
According to him, many international maritime engagements are conducted through dedicated Coast Guard institutions, making Nigeria’s absence a strategic disadvantage.
Ichaba argued that while existing agencies and initiatives such as the Deep Blue Project remain valuable, they cannot fully perform the permanent functions of a specialised Coast Guard.
He warned that continued delay could weaken Nigeria’s maritime diplomacy, reduce international influence, and hinder effective management of coastal and maritime resources.
“History will not ask whether Nigeria needed a Coast Guard. It will ask why the nation waited so long to establish one,” he said.