Nigeria’s Maritime Development Plan Achievable With Amended NSC Act- Reps

BY GBOGBOWA GBOWA

After what looked like a stormy and an inevitable rowdy procession, the public hearing on the proposed amendment of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act passed second reading at the House of Representatives Committee on Shipping Services and Related Matters, on Monday.

For the first time in several legislative public hearings over the past ten years, lawmakers demonstrated courage and unremitting patriotism as they discussed the review of the NSC Act, the longest surviving agency act that remained unchanged since 1987.

Fraught with age related frailties, the NSC Act has been burdened with anachronistic operational policies and clearly out of tune with the dynamics of industry realities; giving room to being questioned and ignored by certain players over roles entrusted to it by the current dispensations.

L-R Nweke, Akabugo and Beks at the venue of the public hearing

Speaking with reporters after the public hearing in which notable Nigerians and industry technocrats attended in their large numbers, the House Committee said that the Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, being one of the critical components examined during the public hearing will curb arbitrary charges and other illegality by operators when passed into law.

L-R Ibeke, Bello and Beks at the venue

Speaking, Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki, explained that the Committee is still open to the for and proposals as it is still collating memoranda from stakeholders on the Amendment Bill, ahead of presenting its report before the House of Representatives for the Third Reading of the Bill.

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’ inputs were very useful and educative for us today.

“The Bill seeks to repeal a law which is preventing the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) 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.”

The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola had during the hearing explained that the new bill is designed to enthrone an efficient regulatory framework for the new marine and blue economy industry.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Olorunola Olufemi, Oyetola remarked that the ministry is always ready to partner with stakeholders to achieve a robust sectoral growth through clearly defined policy and operational framework that is growth oriented, sustainable and nationalistic in outlook.

He said, “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 its 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.”

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the NSC, Barrister Pius Akutah assured that every that concerns raised by stakeholders would be accorded sufficient attention in the overall interest of the nation.

“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.”

In attendance is the chief sponsor of the Bill, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abass, ably represented by Hon. Sada Soli.

Stakeholders from the various sub sectors of the industry, including shipping, freight forwarding, maritime law, maritime media and the allied sectors were in attendance.

Notable amongst the attendants are former Managing Director of the NSC and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Chief Adebayo Sarunmi, former Executive Secretary/CEO NSC, Barrister Hassan Bello, Barr. Emeka Akabogu, Elder Asu Beks, Dr. Eugene Nweke, Okey Ibeke of Blue Marine Consultant, amongst others.

Top on the review agenda is the following:

1. Establishment of the Nigeria Shipping and Ports Economic Regulatory Agency as an economic regulatory body.
2. Establishment of a regulatory framework for the effective and efficient economic regulation of regulated services and related activities, for the control of tariffs, rates, and charges to guard against arbitrariness;
3. Promotion of the implementation of Government policies as they relate to the mandate of the Agency;
4. Monitoring of compliance of regulated service providers, and users in the regulated sector.
5. Creating an enabling environment for private sector participation in the provision of regulated services in Nigeria.
6. Promoting the implementation of relevant trade facilitation instruments to ensure seamless movement of cargo across trade corridors, and
7. Promoting the automation and digitalisation of all cargo reception and handling processes and procedures.

The amendment will give the Council the legal backing and power to play its economic regulatory role in the port which failure hitherto has robbed the nation of direction and focus.

With the eventual passage of the bill into law, the NSC will be more responsible and responsive in advancing a sustainable operational atmosphere and in protecting the national interest.