The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr Pius Akutah, has disclosed that corrections have been made on the agency’s mandate section and the proposed one per cent Freight Stabilisation Fee as spotted by President Bola Tinubu in the long-awaited Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA) Bill.
Speaking during the visit of the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, Akutah clarified that the changes made were minimal, primarily addressing the Council’s mandate and the interpretation of the one per cent freight stabilisation fee provision.
He said the Bill, which is now back on track and heading to the President for assent, will strengthen the agency’s role as the Port Economic Regulator in the country.
Akutah explained that the delay in Presidential assent and legislative process stemmed from clarifications sought by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice regarding the Council’s mandate as defined under its establishment law and the Freight Stabilisation Fee.
According to him, the confusion arose because the Council’s initial enabling law provided a narrower mandate compared to the functions it currently performs following the 2015 Presidential Order that designated the NSC as the Port Economic Regulator, alongside the 2015 Regulations that outlined its powers and responsibilities.
Akutah stated that the Bill, after undergoing the necessary legal review, has been sent back to the National Assembly for formal ratification of the corrections before transmission to the President for assent.
“The freight fee was earlier worded to appear as if it was the funding of the agency. It has now been corrected to state clearly that it is the revenue generated by the agency, which will be remitted into the Federation Account.”
He further disclosed that both chambers of the National Assembly are aware of the amendments, with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, who is the sponsor of the Bill, as well as the Chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Marine Transport and Shipping Services, all briefed on the updates.
“As soon as the National Assembly resumes from recess, they will consider the corrections quickly and send the Bill back to the President,” he assured.
