NASS working to transform Shippers’ Council to Shipping Commission; give it legal backing
"We want to drive the mandate of Mr President" - Akutah assures
Segun Oladipupo
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act is undergoing repeal and re-enactment to give the Council the legal power as the Port Economic Regulator.
The Chairman, House Committee on Shipping Services, Hon. Abdilssamad Dasuko stated this at the Shippers’ Council Special Retreat tagged: Strengthening Economic Regulation of Marine ND Blue Economy in Lagos on Thursday
He added that the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN), a trade tool domiciled under the Council is being worked on by the National Assembly saying it would soon be put into implementation.
His words, “We are repealing and re-enacting the Shippers’ Council Act to be the Maritime sector regulator, we are currently working on the law.
“Like you all know, at the last Assembly, the law was passed by the two chambers but then, it didn’t have the accent of the president but by God’s grace, we have brought it back to the floor and we expect the president to accent to it very soon.
Earlier, in his goodwill message, Dasuki pledged the commitment of his committee to be partners in progress with thr Council
He added that the committee would do all that is expected to empower the Council as regulator of the Maritime sector.
He maintained that Shippers’ Council could not perform optimally from being a ‘Council’ to ‘Nigerian Shipping Commission’.
On that note, I will highlight to you that even before the new Executive Security resume office, We have championed that all-important law for Shippers Council as a regulatory agency.
“We are going to fast track that law and make sure that you have legal backing to do what is expected of you. We shall have this law by next year 2024.
“There are certain things expected from the Nigerian Shippers Council, one of them is the ICTN, at Parliament, we would take it up, and whatever that is required will be done within the shortest possible time.
“One of our take home here today is that, we should have a Nigerian Shipping Commission and not a Council, this is what will strengthen the agency, you are supposed to be a Commission, you are the regulator of this all-important sector
“The Maritime sector is expected to deliver 20percent of our GDP but presently, it is doing 1percent or less”
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of Shippers’ Council, Mr Akutah Pius Ukeyima said the essence of the 2-days Retreat was to cascade down to the management staff, the recent performance bond that was signed by heads of agencies with the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
He said “You will recall that the President held a similar retreat with his ministers where at the end of the day, they signed a performance bond in order to implement his mandate.
“That same retreat was held by the Ministry, a couple of weeks ago, this was to cascade the performance bond that was signed by the Minister down to the Chief Executives of the agencies, including the Nigerian Shippers Council
“We have signed that performance bond with the Minister, and now, we are cascading it down to the staff of the Shippers Council, beginning with the directors, down to the last person, we want to drive the mandate of Mr President and everyone must be onboard, including the drivers and lower cadre staff”
