The Federal Government has nominated Dr. Paul Adalikwu to contest as Secretary-General of the Maritime Organisation for West and Central Africa (MOWCA).
Adalikwu’s nomination which came after approval by President Muhammadu Buhari is the first time Nigeria is indicating interest to produce the head of the forty-five-year-old organisation.
The election which is expected to be conducted within the first quarter of 2021 will involve the participation of twenty-five member countries drawn from both regions of West and Central Africa.
Adalikwu who is presently a Director in charge of Maritime Safety and Security in the Federal Ministry of Transportation comes with a wealth of experience in administrative and maritime matters.
He is also participating at the fore of efforts to establish a Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB) to be hosted by Nigeria.
The multilateral financial institution is expected to address the lingering challenges of funding for maritime-related commercial projects and deepen the regions capacity to harness the benefits of the blue economy.
Adalikwu’s desk was responsible for overseeing the success of the Global Maritime Security Conference hosted by Nigeria in 2019
Adalikwu an alumnus of the University of Calabar, also holds a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration and Management from Hamlin’s University, St Paul, Minnesota USA.
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He is vast in maritime, tourism and policy matters. He was in the nucleus of the 2019 Global Maritime Security Conference hosted by Nigeria in Abuja and has inputs in Nigerian government efforts to procure and contract an Israeli company for improved maritime security.
“Through Nigeria, my leadership as the Secretary-General of MOWCA will restore the confidence of it’s 25 member countries that the organisation is capable of mobilising and delivering on its core mandate of promoting maritime safety.
“MOWCA under my watch will also ensure marine environment protection by developing effective emergency plans for the prevention and control of pollution; strengthen the efficiency of maritime administrations and implement flag state and port state control measures” Adalikwu said in a recent interview.
He also assured member countries that MOWCA will pursue and sustain moves to harness mutual economic benefits of the blue economy for coastal and landlocked states.
According to him, MOWCA will, as from 2021, work in sync with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement
ABOUT MOWCA
Established in May 1975 as Charter of Abidjan and as the Ministerial Conference of West and Central African States on Maritime Transport (MINCONMAR).
The organisation’s name was changed to MOWCA as part of reforms adopted by the General Assembly of Ministers of Transport, at an extraordinary session of the Organisation held in Abidjan between 4th and 6th August 1999.
MOWCA’s objective is to serve the regional and international community for handling all maritime matters like safety, pollution and other matters that are regional in character.
MOWCA unifies 25 countries on the West and Central African shipping range inclusive of five landlocked countries. These countries comprise of 20 coastal states bordering the North and South Atlantic Ocean
