FG, Navy oppose 12% NIMASA revenue allocation to maritime university

The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Transportation has opposed the proposed allocation of the 12% of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) revenue to Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Delta State.

This is just as the Nigerian Navy said saddling NIMASA with maritime security will create ambiguity that could result in distortion and duplication of functions with the Service statutory role.

The ministry and the service made their positions known at the public hearing on Maritime Bills organised by the House of Representatives Committee supervising NIMASA.

The bills are; Merchant Shipping Act (Repeal & Enactment) Bill 2021 (HB.1602) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2021 (HB.1476)

Others are, Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) (Amendment) Bill 2020 (HB.77 8), the Maritime Development Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill (202?) (HB.531) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 (HB. 1471)

Pius Oteh, the director of legal services who spoke on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transportation said the ministry was not comfortable with the proposal in the NIMASA Act amendment Bill, 2021 which provides that not less than 12% of the agency revenue be given to Maritime University Okerenkoko.

Oteh said the proposal failed to recognize that as a public institution regulated by the Nigerian Universities Commission and Federal Ministry of Education, the University will equally be entitled to funds publicly appropriated by the National Assembly on a yearly basis.

He said: “We think this proposal is excessive and it does not adequately take cognisance of the diverse responsibilities of NIMASA in this challenging fiscal environment. We don’t agree with that proposal.

Supporting the Bills generally”, Oteh said. “

Solomon Agada, Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Navy in his presentation said security should be expunged from the functions of NIMASA in the 2021 amendment Bill to let the agency focus on maritime safety.

Agada said: “The Nigerian Navy over time observed that NIMASA has huge provisions in its act to expand its mandate beyond Maritime Administration and Safety to the realm of Maritime security. This conflicting trend also exists in the draft Bill 2021. It’s against this background that the Nigerian Navy makes these observations:

“The word security was used without conceptual clarification. It is essential that the word security replaced with administration in the preamble of the Bill and subsequent sections”.

Victor Ochei, Executive Director for Cabotage at NIMASA said the agency has adopted the position and presentation of the Transportation Ministry on the proposed legislations.

“Speaking to the three bills being considered today, I want to start first by aligning ourselves completely with the position of our parent Ministry because we work closely. It is in this line that I stand to adopt any submission made by the Federal Ministry of Transportation with regards to these Bills,” he said.

Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House while declaring the hearing open, cautioned against the over regulation of the maritime sector to allow it free. and perform optimally.

Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Linda Ikpeazu said the hearing was to deliberate on critical maritime sector bills referred to the Committee, by the House-in-plenary.

“Not only are we focused on making the maritime sector a key alternative source of revenue and economic growth to our dwindling oil resources, we are also poised to develop a prosperous blue economy for our nation, akin to similar successes in other maritime nations around the world,” she said.

Business Day