Members of the Senate from Lagos state are reportedly gathering support to kill the propose National Inland Waterways Authourity (NIWA) Bill, which is excepted to grant some far-reaching powers to the federal agency.
The Bill, which was sponsored by the chairman, Senate committee on marine; Senator Zainab Kure has already passed through second reading at the upper chamber, but it is already creating anxiety among some Senators.
Members of the Senate from Lagos state are reportedly gathering support to kill the propose National Inland Waterways Authourity (NIWA) Bill, which is excepted to grant some far-reaching powers to the federal agency.
The Bill, which was sponsored by the chairman, Senate committee on marine; Senator Zainab Kure has already passed through second reading at the upper chamber, but it is already creating anxiety among some Senators.
Sources at the Uppper chamber told our correspondent last week that the pack of opposition is being led by Senators from Lagos who are reportedly arguing that inland waterways should be the responsibility of states.
They argued that waterways within states should not part of federal waterways that NIAW will superintend.
The new bill, apart from seeking to grant NIWA the exclusive right over the nation’s vast water ways, also seeks to grant the agency powers to concession river ports.
A member of the committee told Shipping Position Daily that ,” with the establishment of river ports, there is need for an enabling law for NIWA to be the landlord of these river ports and also have the power to concession the facilities”.
Presently, NIWA has no power on the river ports, it also faces some challenges in some states, especially in Lagos where a parallel agency has been set up to rival NIWA, this is what we are trying to correct’, he disclosed.
The source confirmed that, were it not for the Budget presentation of last week , the bill would have been presented for a second reading.
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