The House of Representatives has passed the Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill.
The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Barrister Pius Akutah said on Friday why declaring the 2024 operational retreat organised for middle management officers of the agency open in Lagos.
Akutah explained that the Bill had gone to the Senate for reading, saying that the council was trying to build capacity for the new roles that it had assumed.
Akutah noted: “This training is tagged training for middle management grade level 12 to 14. As middle management officers, I want you to start preparing yourselves for top management roles.
“I want you to know that in any organisation, middle management is the engine room that drives policy implementation. Just last week, the House of Representatives passed our bill, the Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill. This is a big step in the right direction.
“Just last Tuesday, the Senate was poised to pass the bill so that it begins to prepare for Presidential Assent. We were there at the National Assembly up until 11 pm but because of the supplementary budget, that line on the other paper of the Senate was not taken.
The Senate has done the first reading of the Bill, and what’s left is for them to pass the bill. But the National Assembly has gone on recess. We believe that as soon as they are back from recess, that Bill will be passed into law.”
He explained that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola was driving the Blue Economy ministry, writing up the policy for this sector.
According to him, he was keen to see that it kicks off to achieve the desire of Mr. President that this sector contributes to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).