Reps Advocate for New Law to Combat Illegality in Maritime Sector.
The House of Representatives Committee on Shipping Services and Related Matters stressed the significance of passing the Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill into law to address arbitrary charges and other illegal practices by service providers in Nigeria’s maritime industry.
During a public hearing on the repeal of the Nigerian Shippers Council Act, Committee Chairman Abdussamad Dasuki stated: “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.”
He added: “The stakeholders’ inputs are useful and educative, Nigeria’s maritime industry is overdue for this, and we will see to its implementation.”
Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, represented by Permanent Secretary Olorunola Olufemi, remarked: “The new bill, when passed into law, will enthrone a regulatory framework in the maritime industry.”
“We are eager and happy to be a part of a process that will reform the sector,” he continued. “The ministry is in the process of collating its considerations on this bill and will submit it accordingly.”
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Pius Akutah, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, affirmed: “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.”
Representing Speaker Tajudeen Abass, Sada Soli attended the public hearing, which witnessed the participation of stakeholders from various sectors including shipping, freight-forwarding, and legal entities within the maritime industry.
