From Anthony Nwachukwu, Lagos
Mindful that some laws of the maritime regulatory agencies have become outdated, especially as they are now under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has assured a speedy review of the relevant legal instruments and Acts.
This followed presentations at a workshop hosted in Lagos over the weekend by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to sensitise the legislators on the prospects and challenges facing the full harnessing of the potentials of the blue economy.
Impressed with the paper presentations on the theme, “Harnessing the Nation’s Blue Economy, A Legislative Approach,” leader of the team and Deputy Chairman of the committee, Uduak Odudoh, assured: “On the amendment of obsolete laws, I want to assure Nigerians that we shall go back home and do the needful.
“With the calibre of members in this committee and the entire National Assembly, we shall not rest until the needful is done.”
He commended the NIMASA DG for his deep knowledge of the blue economy, adding that they would ensure that “every allocation the agency needs is provided for them to deliver on their core mandates.”
In her presentation earlier, the lead speaker, Mrs. Jean Chiazor Anishere, tasked the National Assembly with the creation of a blue economy framework to guide the harnessing of the blue economy potentials.
According to the maritime lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the Cabotage Act, NIMASA Act, and Fisheries and Aquaculture Regulation, among others, are obsolete and require review for the agencies to function under the new ministry.
“The Carbotage Act 2003 was meant to enhance Nigerian ship owners to participate in the industry. The policy is good in terms of empowerment of indigenous ship owners, but then, there is an embargo of some sort to that policy,” she noted.
“How do we harness the blue economy regulation as it relates to the Carbotage Act? We don’t have a shipping line. That is one of the challenges that will affect our taking the potential of the blue economy.
“The second challenge is fund. Funding is key. When we talk about empowerment, we need the fund that will enable the indigenous ship owners acquire the right vessels to take a benefit of the Carbotage Act.
“The draftsmen of the Carbotage Act 2003 actually also conceptualised the Carbotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) which, sadly, is yet to be implemented. So, we need to implement the CVFF Fund, and by so doing be able to encourage the indigenous ship owners and harness the potentials of the blue economy.”
She further noted: “If we have a Marine and Blue Economy Ministry, and NIMASA, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council and NIWA – all agencies under the Marine and Blue Economy, surely it has become moribund for us to say that NIMASA will be governed by the Ministry of Transport.”
