Even as the Nigerian maritime sector, especially the shipping community awaits the passage of the Port and Harbour Bill, there are strong indications that the bill may undergo another round of review that will eventually lead to the exorcise of the Independent Port Regulatory Commission from the bill.
Even as the Nigerian maritime sector, especially the shipping community awaits the passage of the Port and Harbour Bill, there are strong indications that the bill may undergo another round of review that will eventually lead to the exorcise of the Independent Port Regulatory Commission from the bill.
Sources at the National Assembly confirmed to our correspondent last week that the Port and Harbour Bill which has been in the works since 2008 is to be reworked holistically to reflect certain realities, which the ‘old’ bill did not take into consideration.
Specifically, a member of the lower chamber told Shipping Position Daily that: “As I am talking to you now, we are still expecting another input from the executive, I think between the ministry of transport and the BPE, they are working on something”.
He however hinted that the Bill will undergo fresh debates, especially since the National Assembly is also tinkering with the idea of exorcising the Independent Port Regulatory Commission from the Port and Harbour Bill; “it’s going to be a Bill on its own as its going to be an autonomous agency outside of Nigerian Ports Authourity”, he disclosed.
Our findings are that the National Assembly may be tinkering with adopting the South African model which has Transnet as the Transport sector supervisory body and a National Port Authourity as well as the Port Regulatory Agency.
If this idea is taken, the lawmakers may then accept the BPE’s long-held option of a National Transport Commission (NTC) under which there’ll be Railways and also NPA and there’ll be Independent Port Regulatory Commission.
Another member of the House of Representatives who pleaded anonymity because, according to him, the Bill has not been represented to the House, confirmed that the most certain fact is that the Regulatory Commission will no longer be subsumed within the Port and Harbour bill.
He also pleaded with stakeholders in the maritime industry; especially port users to be patient with the National Assembly.
“We admit that the Bill is taking too long, but you will also agree with me that the Port and Harbour Bill as well as the regulatory agency ought to have been tackled simultaneously with port concession”.
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