Dr. Pat Asadu is the Chairman, House Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways. In this interview with ABIOLA ODUTOLA, he speaks about the Federal Government’s plans to use maritime funds for the purpose of tackling sea piracy, illegal fishing and other issues of interest to the growth of the industry. Excerpts:
Your committee has been in operation for a year now. What are your observations, and feats achieved so far?
When we were appointed, we did our own in-house training for members, to bring them up to speed with what the maritime sector is all about; because, they are professionals from different fields. We also tried to do training at the Institute of Legislative Studies that helps with capacity building before we met maritime stakeholders in a two-day conference in Lagos. After these, we found that the industry challenges range from cargo issues, budgeting processes, and competitiveness with other African countries, especially those in the West Coast.
What have you done about the challenges?
We have been able to put in eight bills. The bills have passed the first and second readings and have been referred to the committees. They have gone through public hearing and we have finished with technical committees, which just ended. We are hoping that they would be passed by the end of September or early October, 2017.
Specifically, what are the issues the bills are meant to address?
They are meant to ease ways of doing business in Nigeria.
Are you saying the Federal Government’s ease of doing business initiative does not cover the areas you mentioned above or are you competing with the government?
We had long gone with the bills when the Executive started its policy, which we actually support because we are not competing. We are not competing, not just because of lack of electricity or lack of water, but because the legal framework for anybody to invest his money and feel protected is not there, and also, the essence of the bill is to protect Nigeria.
What are your views on the previous reform exercises in the maritime sector?
The port concessioning that happened in 2005 was great to some extent, but we found that the basic laws that were meant to protect the terminal operators, cargo owners and Nigeria were not there, and those are the laws we are making now. It had provided a room for some of the terminal operators to also cash in on it, making them undercut Nigeria because when you give out your house without any agreement protecting you, you have lost it.
Does that mean you are amending the National Inland Waterways Authority Act?
We are not amending the NIWA Act, we are actually repealing the Act; we are enacting a brand new law to make NIWA something that can attract the private sector, driven by the private sector and competing even with the Nigerian Ports Authority. We believe NIWA is so huge and should not be begging government for money because a lot of people depend on the waterways for movement.
What is the update on the recent protest against your move to make new laws in the sector?
The protest to us meant that the people do not understand what we are trying to do. In a democracy, you don’t talk like that. If you don’t agree with any particular law, you will explain your own view, hear my own, and we keep on engaging until we arrive at a
decision.
The people voted for us to make laws, and it is established in law that you can’t stop the legislature from making laws, no arm of government would. Then, you will be threatening fire and brimstone if law is made instead of you to bring out whatever you think you are not comfortable with. But then, Nigeria is structured well because, each of those protesting, have a representative in the National Assembly, and they can just go to their Rep and say they are not okay with the bill; that is, if you cannot come to the committee. But of course, the committee is there
for you.
We need to get as much input as possible, because I am not going to operate it, but do the best for passage, to stop our goods from going to ports of neighbouring countries, because we know what it means to our economy.
Are you saying the aggrieved group has not written the committee?
Of course, they wrote to us and raised two concerns that, what happens to the workers after a concession? But are they saying that for voting for me to go and represent them in Abuja, I will now get them out of jobs? No. No Nigerian will enact such a law. Instead of threatening, all they needed would have been to write to us, although some people think that it is best to talk tough. But, for me, nothing will make us abandon what we are heading for. The maritime sector can actually provide us alternative for the oil issues, and we must get it right.
What other issue have you observed in the sector?
Another factor that needs to be addressed is the fact that the Executive, not just the APC-led Executive alone, has not been able to come out with a clear transport policy. Now, when you are making a law without a guide with a policy from the Executive, you are likely to make a law that the Executive will disagree with on certain issues.
So, we should keep on encouraging the Executive arm to come out with a clear policy on the transportation sector.
Another bane to the growth of the maritime sector is the activities of pirates and armed robbers at the sea. What are you doing to restore investors’ confidence?
We are setting up a maritime fund that will provide for the protection of our territorial waters and our international waters.
That fund is going to come from outside the regular budget because other issues have taken so much from the
budget.
