Babatunde Samuel (Registrar, POTMAN)
The present legislature has done this country great considering the procedures required to pass a law; considering the fact that such law is going to affect not just their own generation, but even the ones yet unborn and there must be procedures to follow like public hearings and the first, second and third reading. However, despite the fact that they have tried, my assessment is that they have some deficiencies in terms of how many of them are professionals, how many of them really know the industry, it is from there that they can be able to know how important these bills are, this would have gone a long way to reshape and redefine the aspect of the port, terminal and the shipping industry. It is still possible for them to pass these bills if all machineries are put in place. I recall that during the end of the Obasanjo administration, we had the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria which is one of the three bills that were signed into law, I believe in the next few months, much can still be done irrespective of the fact that they will be going for their primaries in their states and local governments, but I believe much can still be done.
Elder Donatus Ofoma (Freight Forwarder)
I believe the last set of legislators did better than the present set; they were able to pass the bill for the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria into law, even though a lot of forces were against establishing the council at the time because they know it will block their way of siphoning money into private pockets, but stakeholders in the maritime sector fought hard to make sure the bill was passed. But my opinion of this present set of legislators is that they had a lot to do, they were supposed to improve upon what the other set have done, but we are yet to see any improvement which invariable means that they have failed us as far as the maritime sector is concerned.
Chucks Okereafor (Terminal operator)
The reason why the legislators have not done well is because the function of the various house committees on marine transport is an oversight functions and not their core function, but then the fact that they have been unable to pass any bill for the sector means that they have performed poorly. The last regime was able to pass Cabotage law , but for this present people there is nothing to rate them with, they have scored zero, it is only when they pass these laws which will make the maritime sector effective and benefit the common man, and in the process of that, we can now say that they did something, all the visits they pay to the port did not add any value, because at the end of the day, they are just looking for how they can benefit from it for their own gain. To propose a bill sometimes requires you travelling to other countries and seeing how things are working there, you take a cue from there and do researches, gather data and statistics before you propose same, but here it is not so because majority of them are not qualified, they manipulated their way into the House.
Owolabi Omotayo (Water transporter)
The legislature has not really been fair to the maritime sector. Another issue is the leadership of the various agencies in the port; take for instance the power play that has been going on in NIMASA which is the sole body for the regulation and development of the maritime sector, the inconsistencies in policies have really affected the development of the sector, the past legislature has not really helped either. We should look forward to having a proactive legislature that will protect and propel the development of the maritime sector.
Olarinoye Dotunn (Fishing trawler owner)
Normally, the National Assembly will want to take their time in checking out the bills, don’t forget that they collect money for each of the seating they have, so everything depends on the sponsor of the bill, it is a two way traffic thing, the legislatures have a part, and the sponsors also have a part to play in ensuring maximum pressure on both the lower and the upper chamber respectively in order to ensure quick passage of the law. But naturally, even without being compelled or lobbied, the legislature should have done better because it is their duty to use the desired zeal to make the maritime sector work as well as the other sectors. For now, we have laws that are not well spelt out, for example who takes care of the waterways and who remove wrecks, is it NIWAS, NPA or NIMASA, these are the issues.
MR Akin Leoso [Secretary SSACTAC, NPA Branch]
To some extent, they have made some effort to pass some bills into law; for instance the NIMASA Act .It should be their duty to consider and pass the bills because in no time there will be changes in the National Assembly and definitely every committee will change and they will change with those bills on ground that has not been passed into law. These bills will now be reviewed by the new committee members. As far as the committees exist, various issues on the maritime sector will be treated as at when due.
Mr.Eniola Odulaja [Stakeholder]
The committee of the maritime sector of National Assembly believes that those bills that have not been passed are not necessary in as much as the sector is generating revenue to the economy. The National Assembly does make laws that affect the common man .Before passing a bill into law, they should make a research so that such laws will not be amended soon. The various bills that are supposed to be passed into law remain unanswered and the sector is generating huge capital for the country and for that reason, the legislature believes that it is well for the maritime sector. There may be hiccups in those bills that have not been passed .The committees on marine transport have a lot to do by ensuring that the issues of the Maritime bills need to be address by the House and even bring more bills before the National Assembly to be addressed. I rate them below average.
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