Essien Tasks AMJON To Create Wealth By Exploring Potentials Of Marine/Blue Economy

By Roland Ekama

As part of efforts to create the needed attention for the promotion of the nation’s water assets, Dean , School of Eloquence, Dr. Ubong Essien has tasked journalists to explore and unearth potentials in the Marine and Blue Economy in their reportage .

Essien gave the charge at a one day training workshop put together by media practitioners under the auspices – Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) on Friday in Ikoyi Lagos.

Essien , who was a former Special Adviser to the immediate past Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Bashir Jamoh , called on the media practitioners to create wealth for themselves through effective and quality reportage about the Marine and Blue Economy , saying that the sector was under-reported by journalists.

Speaking further on the multiple advantages on the sector, the media mogul reiterated that the maritime industry is not limited to the ocean or ships, maintaining that the blue economy is vast to the extent that a journalist can choose to specialize on a segment and get the desired relevancy to create wealth.

According to him, journalists can specialise on any given subsector within the industry, improve on it and create wealth from it.

While commending AMJON for the innovation, the Dean stressed that the school is open for partnership in the area of capacity building for members adding that journalist must equip themselves with modern day technologies like use of social media, Artificial Intelligence, Google etc to create the needed awareness for the Marine and Blue Economy growth.

He further described journalism and the legal practitioners as noble profession which in turn has the capacity to enlighten the public about new innovations , thus the professionals must be strategic while engaging critical stakeholders for nation building and economic development.

He also appealed to members of the association to prioritize capacity building as a veritable tool to gain more knowledge.

Describing ” knowledge as power”, Essien stated that training and retraining of members of AMJON is a clear indication of wealth creation urging them not to relent in pursuit of academic abilities and upskilling.

Earlier, President of AMJON, Paul Ogbuokiri pointed out that the association is strategic towards ensuring adequate reportage of the maritime industry.

Ogbuokiri stated that the association will collectively pursue the Masterclass programme as part of members pursuant for knowledge.

He further commended management of the School for the needed facilities for the successful training programme organised by the association.