Stakeholders comprising environmentalists, oceanographers, aquatic ecologists, and the Media, amongst others would be converging in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital to celebrate this year’s World Ocean Day.

The Energy and Maritime Reporters Corps (EMR) announced this via a statement signed by its Chairman, Martins Giadom; Secretary, Ayo Odungweru; and Organizing Committee Chairman, Ignatius Chukwu on Monday, June 6, 2022 and made available to the Media in Port Harcourt.  

The statement said the event, which theme is: “Revitalization and Collective Action for the Ocean”, will hold on Wednesday, June 8, 2022, at the Conference Hall of the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre (NUJ House), Moscow Road, Port Harcourt by 10.30am prompt.

The Energy and Maritime Reporters Corp (EMR), which is a wing of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) that focuses on Energy and Maritime issues around Nigeria, says it was set to join the global maritime community to mark the UN World Oceans Day to highlight issues related to the health, wealth and challenges being faced by the oceans of the world.  

On its part, the United Nations, which has since set aside June 8 every year to raise global consciousness on issues concerning Oceans, stated that “for us in the Niger Delta, we are concerned with the mangrove and other assets and wealth in the Ocean nearest to us”.

Lectures and speeches concerning the wealth in the Ocean and challenges of the Maritime sector are expected to be delivered by notable personalities such as the National Vice President of the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Chairman/CEO of Elschon Nigeria Ltd, Dr Emi Membere-Otaji; Corporate Affairs Manager, Indorama Nigeria, Dr Jossy Nkwocha; UN Focal Person on Ocean Literacy in Nigeria, Solari Inko-Taria; and the Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC), Fyneface Fyneface, amongst others.

General Manager of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of the Tide Newspapers, and Nye-Nweli, Woji, His Royal Highness, Chief (Sir) Ernest Chinwo, JP, will be the Chairman of the occasion, while the Chief Host is Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, Stanley Job Stanley.

According to Oceanic Global, a United Nations (UN) partner organization that focuses on the wellbeing of the ocean, said, with respect to this year’s World Ocean Day, that individuals and organizations “need to work together to create a new balance with the ocean that no longer depletes its bounty but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life,” adding that “the ocean connects, sustains and supports us all. Yet its health is at the tipping point and so is the wellbeing of all that depends on it”.

Nigeria’s southern boundary is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean with some of its major cities and towns such as Akassa, Badagry, Bonny, Brass, Calabar, Finima, Forcados, Ikuru Town, Lagos, Lekki, Okpoma, Kula on the Atlantic shoreline with massive fishing, oil and gas exploration, and academic research activities ongoing there.