Adegboyega Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, says the federal government is exploring the possibility of establishing coast guards to ensure security on the nation’s coastline.

Mr Oyetola disclosed this on Saturday at the 32nd Iragbiji Day celebration in Iragbiji, his home town, in the Boripe Local Government Area of Osun.

”There are conscious efforts to secure the marine environment. We have deployed security equipment to safeguard the waterways.

“We are already looking at the possibility of establishing coast guards, which will be designed essentially to ensure the safety of our coastline,” said Mr Oyetola.

The minister stated that Nigeria had at least 853km of coastline and 10,000 perimeters of inland waterways, noting that security must be ensured for coastal tourism.

“If we want to ensure coastal tourism, we must provide adequate security, and we are working with the navy, marine police and others to ensure the security of our waterways,” he said.

Mr Oyetola commended the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Abdulrosheed Olabomi, for using the Iragbiji Day celebration to attract development in the last 32 years.

The minister, however, condemned the conversion of the Sustainable Development Goal-Focused Skilled Acquisition Centre built in the town by the federal government into a football camp by the state government.

”I am so unhappy that the same project that we fought for our youths to acquire skills has been turned into a soccer base.

”I have no quarrel with football, but the facility must be used for the purpose for which it is made,” he said.

(NAN)