Shipping Development: House Committee on Shipping to Engage Indigenous Ship Owners in Move for Indigenous Maritime Bank
The Chairman, House Committee on Shipping Services, Rt. Honourable Abdussamad Dasuki, has shared that as part of its vision to rejig indigenous shipping, the Committee will engage indigenous ship owners as it moves towards championing the cause for an indigenous maritime bank.
Dasuki made the disclosure in a meeting with the Management of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, earlier today.
The meeting, which is part of the Committee’s quarterly working visits to the Council, would chart the course for the revitalisation of Nigeria’s shipping industry.
Dasuki while speaking with top Management of the Council explained that an indigenous maritime bank will equip local ship owners with funding needed to drive their businesses, deepen indigenous participation in shipping and curb capital flight.
Also, as part of efforts to empower the Council to perform it’s statutory role as port economic regulator, he explained that the passage of The Nigerian shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill into law will make provisions to shore up funding for the Council.
As part of the provisions of the Bill, the Council will be authorized to take up a statutory one per cent freight standardisation fund which he said will take care of the challenge of inadequate funding for Council.
He said: “The Committee will look into the possibility of championing the maritime bank so that the maritime sector or the key players will have their own bank.
“The whole idea is to stop the capital flight we have today in the sector. We look to have the support of not just the House of Representatives but of the National Assembly.
“Also, we are going to have the ship owners together with your team to sit down and see how we can improve the services of the ship owners in Nigeria as soon as possible.
“In the course of our deliberations, we have highlighted one of the successes that is expected from that bill which is the one per cent freight standardisation fund.
“I believe you have the relevant support from us to make sure that you get all these funds in your agency.
“We expect you to come to us for that briefing when you come to us for the budget defense.”
Dasuki assured the Council of the Committee’s continued support while advising that it works towards bringing more investments into Nigeria.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Bar. Pius Ukeyima, thanked the Committee for their support since his assumption of office saying that the partnership has brought a historic turnaround to the fortunes of the Council.
“We thank you most sincerely for standing with the Nigerian Shippers Council on that bill to save our country from the economic decline which we are experiencing today.
“We believe that our close collaboration and cooperation will see the rapid development of the sector and today that partnership has taken a very major step.
“We know that the impact that this visit will leave is for a very long time and that this partnership has started a new trajectory which would move very fast,” he said.
About The Author
