By AISHA COLE

The Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill 2023, which seeks to repeal the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act Cap N133, had passed second reading at the House of Representatives.

The NSC, in a statement on Friday, said that the Bill was part of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola’s Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for 2024, as signed in the performance bond by the agencies.

The statement, signed by NSC Spokesperson, Rebecca Adamu, said that the Chairman, House Committee on Shipping Services, Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki, presented the Bill at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

Presenting the bill, Dasuki said that the objective of the regulation was to create an effective regulatory regime for the Nigerian ports after the concession of the Ports.

“Port does not mean the Nigerian Ports Authority alone. It also means all the stakeholders in the ports, for the control of tariffs, rates, charges and other related economic services.’’

‘‘The Shippers’ Council’s gazette is being implemented today as a regulation and not as an act.

“The Regulations provided that the NSC shall perform the role of interim port economic regulator with the administrative backing of the Federal Government.

“The Regulations further provided that from the commencement of this regulation in 2015, every regulated service provider in the Nigerian ports shall register with the council. And as at today, they are answerable to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council,’’ Dasuki said.

He reiterated the need to repeal the existing NSC’s Act to empower the council to be able to discharge its mandate as the Port Economic Regulator.

Dasuki recalled that NSC, was established in 1978 to protect the interest of Nigerian shippers adding that council’s mandate was later expanded to include Economic Regulation of the port pursuant to the Port Economic Regulator Order 2015.

He said that regulatory order had necessitated the review of the NSC Act to harmonize all the regulations into the Nigeria Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill. (NAN)

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