Expert Advocates Maritime Players For Upper, Lower Chambers On Marine Transport

A frontline maritime sector player and former President Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association; Captain Thomas Kemewerigha has advised both chambers of the National Assembly to ensure that people with requisite background in maritime are selected for marine transport committees of the National Assembly.

Shipping Position Daily recalls that the immediate past chairman, Senate committee on marine transport in the Senate is Senator Zainab Kure , while newly-elected Governor of Enugu State Governor, Honourable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was the chairman of House or Reps Committee on Marine Transport

But Kemewerigha is of the view that selecting competent individuals with maritime background , experiences and exposure will help the maritime sector.

In a statement sent to Shipping Position Daily at the weekend, the maritime labour expert alleged that most of the problems being faced in the country emanates from the legislative arm of government and not actually the executives

According to him, the entire members of the Upper and Lower chambers should be screened properly to know their background in terms of qualification, discipline and profession for the sole of appropriately placing them in various committees in which they have basic knowledge and experience.

According to him, "from my point of view, the executive is not the problem rather the legislative”
" The past regimes have made us to understand that, all the legislators understand is money, this fact can be further proved with the several committees from both the lower and the upper chambers that visited so many fraud cases and yet no single person or persons were found guilty.

"This also reminds me of the judiciary, men of respect that has today turned to the highest bidder winning cases and stupidly granting persons from being tried, only the poor goes to jail while the rich steal and remain free, all this happens only in our continent, and in our dear country called Nigeria."

He further urged the new upper and lower chambers’ committee on marine transport to embark on industry retreat to know the operators better.
Kemewerigha said that the maritime sector plays a pivotal role in the Nigeria economy urging the house to be diligent while selecting committee members for marine transport.

The immediate past national president of the Merchant Navy Officers Association, and co-coordinator International Transport Federation, (ITF London); Nigeria Chapter said that the law makers were voted for by Nigerians from different background for the sole reason of formulating laws that will benefit all sectors and also to carry out oversight functions.

The maritime labour consultant also called for cut in the salaries and other benefit of the Senator and House of Reps member, stressing the need for constituency allocations should be revisited.

"The entire members be screened properly to know their background in terms of qualification, discipline and profession then be placed into various committees that they have basic knowledge as against its past."
" In the past honorable members lobby for juicy parastatals to be Chairman/member, because of the oversight functions which at the end of the day did not benefit the nation but for their selfish ends, it is based on this singular act that current leadership should act fast to correct and put the interest of the Nation first."

" I also want to strongly advice that after inauguration into various committees, the house should mandate each committee to have a retreat within the country, to draw the road map on how best to achieve their goals with the invitation of experts to brain storm on issues concerning their committees.

He also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint an individual who has sound knowledge on transportation as the minister of transport.