Abuja – Maritime Advocacy Group of Nigeria (MAGN), an NGO on Friday expressed support for the establishment of a National Transport Commission.
The leader of the group, Mr West Idahosa spoke to newsmen in Abuja against the backdrop of the forthcoming public hearing on the National Transport Bill slated for May 23.
Idahosa was also a former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources in the 6th National Assembly.
According to him, the bill if passed and assented to by the president will improve the sector.
The bill seeks to establish the National Transport Commission which will be charged with the responsibility of developing and sustaining the transport industry in Nigeria.
The bill, however, raises alarm over plans to duplicate similar function in the proposed amendment of Ports and Harbour Authority Bill.
“We know very well for a number of years people have been agitating for an economic regulator in the transport industry generally.
“So, when this bill came up, many in the industry welcomed it as a solid idea that can keep the equilibrium that we want in the industry,’’ Idahosa said.
He said that the commission if allowed to come on oard would correct some level of unfairness, poor pricing, and lack of control of competition among others.
Idahosa, however, said that another bill on the Nigerian Ports and Harbour Authority also reflected some of the areas that the National Transport Commission bill had taken care of.
He said that there was the need to delete areas of similarities in function in order to avoid unhealthy rivalry and future crisis.
“The Nigerian Shippers Council has latent statutory functions similar to those of an economic regulator.’’
Idahosa reminded members of the National Assembly that passing the bill into law would ensure the development of the country’s local economy by protecting the interest of end users of transport services as well as job creation.
He, however, warned the legislature on the dangers of giving unnecessary powers to the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) by passing the proposed Port and Harbour Authority Bill.
“Industry stakeholders have observed that the proposed Nigerian Ports and Harbour Authority Bill 2015 will threaten the efficacy and effectiveness of the proposed National Transport Commission if passed as it is.
“We call on all stakeholders in the maritime sector of the transport industry to resist certain provisions of the proposed Nigerian Ports and Harbour Authority Bill 2015.
“The Sections include Section 1(3f) which purports to protect the rights of interests of port service providers and commercial ports’ users.
“That function is best suited for a neutral economic regulator not a service provider like the Ports and Harbour Authority,” he said.
The leader of the group said that the proposed Section 2(d) of the Ports and Harbour Bill sought to control any location where maritime activity was taking place instead of being limited to ports services and activities.
He stressed that the proposed amendment was “too over-reaching’’ and as such, be jettisoned forthwith.
Explaining further, he said: “Part IX of the Ports and Harbour Authority Bill appeared to confer absolute powers on NPA to levy, fix and charge fees without any intervention of the proposed economic regulator (the National Transport Commission). (NAN)