• New FEC Draft Bill indicates Council’s proposed statusStrong indications emerged last week that the recent approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of seven transport sector bills may have paved the way for the eventual transmutation of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to a more encompassing National Transport Commission (NTC).
The transport sector bills that were approved by the FEC are: the National Transport Commission Bill (2015); National Roads Fund Bill; Federal Roads Authority Bill; Nigeria Ports and Harbour Authority Bill (2015); National Inland Waterways Authority Bill (2015); Nigerian Railway Authority Bill (2015).
Cited as, “A Bill for an Act to repeal the Nigeria Shippers Council Act CAP N133 of 2004, and provide for the establishment of a National Transport Commission, the bill was first sponsored in the Senate by Senators: Gbemi Saraki, Umar Tafidan Argungu, Teslim Folarin, Kawu Petto Duku, Hassan Muhammmed Gusau, Munir Muse, Gregory Ngaji, Ahmed Maccido, Ayogu Eze.
However, the new draft that was approved by the Federal Executive Council is a replica of the Senate Draft bill.
Sources confirmed to our correspondent that the Shippers’ Council actually participated actively in drafting the new National Transport Commission Bill and that the game plan is to have the agency step up its activities and become the overall ombudsman for the transport sector.
The source made reference to the title of the bill, which clearly says it is, “an Act to repeal the Nigerian Shippers Council Act CAP N133 of 2004, and provide for the establishment of a National Transport Commission”, and said that it shows where the government is headed on the NTC issue.
The source who is a top official at the Federal ministry of transport confided in our correspondent last week that, “it is agreed that the Shippers Council will become NTC, there is not much difference between the National Assembly’s draft and the FEC’s draft”.
The new executive bill that was sighted by Shipping Position Daily last week actually says that “the purpose of this Act shall be achieved through the establishment of a National Transport Commission which shall be responsible for executing the provisions of this Act, the Nigerian Shippers' Council Act and its subsidiary regulations and all other relevant Federal legislations”.
It also specifically talks about the “transformation of Nigerian Shippers' Council into a National Commission”.
The NTC is also expected to “provide for an economic regulatory framework for the provision of services and supply of goods in the transport sector or regulated industry”, as well as “provide a mechanism for monitoring and providing advice to Government on matters relating to the transport sector” and “provide for efficient operation and regulation of the transport sector through consolidation, streamlining and removing the multiplicity, duplicity of regulatory functions by Government and its Agencies”.http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/nigerian-shippers%E2%80%99-council-tipped-national-transport-commission
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