From Suleiman Amagbor, in Lagos
The House of Representayives Committee on Shipping Services and Related Matters on Monday affirmed the importance of the new Shipping Bill currently undergoing hearings in the National Assembly, saying that it will help curb the arbitrary charges and sundry illegal activities by operators when it is passed.
The proposed law is called the Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill.
The Chairman of the committee, Hon Abdussamad Dasuki who spoke to journalists after a Public Hearing on the repeal of the Nigerian Shippers Council Act in Abuja said his Committee is currently receiving memoranda from various stakeholders on the Bill before going ahead to present the report before the House of Representatives for the Third Reading.
Dasuki said “We are still collating memoranda. You know the next process is to present the report to the House of Representatives for consideration.
“The Public Hearing today showed that every stakeholder in the Nigerian Maritime industry wants an economic regulator for the industry. The era of impunity has to stop.
“There were no concerns from everybody.
” The stakeholders input were very useful and educative for us today.
“The Bill seeks to repeal a law which is preventing the Nigerian Shippers Council from enforcing a presidential directive concerning economic regulation of the ports. Nigeria’s, maritime industry is overdue for this, and we will see to its implementation.”
On his part, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola explained that the new Bill, when passed into law, will enthrone regulatory framework in the Nigerian Maritime industry.
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olorunola Olufemi stated that “The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is willing to partner with all stakeholders in the sector, especially the National Assembly, to enthrone regulatory framework for the Marine and Blue Economy industry.
“It is on this note that we are eager and very happy to be a part of the process that will reform the sector.
“The Ministry is in the process of collating it’s considerations on this Bill and submit accordingly. We will encourage all stakeholders to also contribute their quota towards the actualisation of this process for the interest of the nation.”
On his part, Executive Secretary/CEO of the NSC, Barrister Pius Akutah explained that concerns raised by some stakeholders will be looked into and considered.
In the words of the NSC Boss, “I am very impressed with the outcome of today’s Public Hearing. I am particularly grateful to my Minister, the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola for his support.
“It is also one of the Key Performances Indicators that we signed with the Honourable Minister.
“On some concerns raised by some stakeholders, some of them are germane and will be looked at going forward. We are not bringing in a law that will strangulate the sector. The intention is to bring sanity to the sector and to ensure that the sector is booming.”
The Public Hearing which was witnessed by the main Sponsor of the Bill, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abass (represented by Hon. Sada Soli) had in attendance stakeholders from the shipping, freight-forwarding, legal, sectors of the Maritime industry.
Also present was the former Managing Director of the NSC and NPA, Ade bayo Sarunmi and a former Executive Secretary of the NSC, Barrister Hassan Bello.
