Promoters of the controversial Maritime Security Agency (MASECA) Bill got more than what they bargained for last week, when they appeared at the public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration which has Hon. Umar Mohammed Bago as its Chairman.
The event was attended by promoters and supporters of the Bill, notably: Ministry of Transportation, NIMASA and some sister agencies, maritime industry stakeholders, and officers and promoters of the yet-to-be-legalised MASECA, including Retired Rear Admiral Godswill Ombo.
Shortly after the public hearing started, chairman of the Committee; Umar Mohammed Bago observed the presence on the illegal uniform wearing MAESCA officers.
He was apparently enraged and thereafter threatened to get them arrested, but he was prevailed upon by other members of the committee.
But, one of the sponsors of the Bill has said that they are still leading the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy by two votes to one.
Stakeholders in the maritime industry that attended the public hearing and expressed opposition to the passage of the MASECA Bill include: the former Director General of NIMASA, Mr. Temisan Omatseye; NIMASA, Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Gambo Ahmed; President, Nigeria Ship owners Association (NISA), Captain Olaniyin Olabinjo; Director General of NISA, Engr. Oliver Ogbuagu; Principal Partner at Jean Chiazor and Company and immediate past President, Women in Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Mrs. Jean Chiazor Anishere; Lagos Co-ordinator of NISA, Captain Taiwo Akinpelumi; and the Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Commodore Emma Effedua (retired).
Others are the Director of Procurement, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mallam Shehu Aliyu; Lagos base maritime lawyer, Mr. Mike Igbokwe, SAN; Engr. Emmanuel Ilori; Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC); Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN); Chairman of the Nigeria Seafarers Welfare Board, Otunba Kunle Folarin and the National President, Nigeria Merchant Navy, Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association; Comrade Alalade Mathew.
On his part, a former DG of NIMASA; Temisan Omatseye warned against the promulgation of the MASECA Bill into law, pointing out that it would create more problems for both the maritime industry and nation’s security agencies.
The former NIMASA helmsman also went into memory lane giving a historical insight on the various times the MASECA Bill has come up and died in the National Assembly in the past, even as he wondered the reasons behind the present frenzy to pass the bill into law.
In his contribution, Otunba Kunle Folarin stated that since maritime business is international, if the bill is passed into law for any reason, it will make Nigeria a laughing stock before the comity of maritime nations.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on its part said it was not in support of the passage of the bill just as it maintained that it preferred a robust collaboration with the apex maritime regulatory authority as well as the Nigerian Navy.
Many other contributors also aligned themselves with the position taken by the minister in spite of the support of some persons and groups outside the maritime industry for the passage of the MASECA Bill into law.
Apart from the main proponents of the Bill, those who also supported the passage of the bill include: Captain James Falabi of OJAF Marine Consult; Vigilante Group of Nigeria; religious organisations, as well as traditional rulers from Imo, Delta and Katsina States.
But speaking with our correspondent, one of the arrowheads of the Bill warned that stakeholders who are opposed to the Bill would be ambushed at the technical hearing on the bill which is billed to come up in September.
"The bill is in our favour and that is why they are making noise, thousands of them cannot stop the bill, what we are waiting for now is the technical hearing”
"There must be a support note that people sent to the House from stakeholders, out of the more than 40 that were received, we had more than NIMASA and Nigerian Navy"
"NIMASA was busy sponsoring people to come to the House and oppose the bill, but they don't have a point, all they are troubled about is the duplication of duties"
"If the Nigerian Navy alone can secure the waters, why did the Minister of transportation, Amaechi contract the security of the waterways to an Israeli firm? It is because he knew that NIMASA and the Navy have failed"
"We have over 6,000 creeks in this country and Nigerian Navy only covers 37, and you say they are working"
"The House knows that this Bill is a must, and even the MWUN and others know that there are strong forces behind the bill, all we are saying is that we want this industry to work"
"It is the seafarers that are being killed as a result of this insecurity, when vessels are boarded by pirates, it is the seafarers that are killed, other people who have spoken against the bill are making money from the insecurity, but seafarers are dying everyday and they want us to keep quiet"
Sources hinted one of our correspondents last week that, already in preparation for the eventual passage of the bill, six merchant Navy officers were recently sent for a two months intensive training in America by the US Navy SEAL on a train-the-trainer course on security.
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