‘Shippers Council Act Needs Review’

Executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Akuteh Pius said the Shipper’s Act 1987, lacks modern realities and called for the need to review it.

Speaking after the opening ceremony of the 2024 edition of the Maritime Seminar for Judges and maritime experts in Abuja on Tuesday, Akuteh said this has become necessary for the Marine sector, which is evolving and fast-moving with a lot of innovations coming up.

According to him, “I can tell you that there have been so many changes, even with some of the conventions that we have adopted over the years, there are some basic requirements that the country should adopt, and there are laws and new regulations. The fact is that we need to bring these rules with speed to the new realities of the maritime sector. And most importantly, Mr. President has found it necessary to focus attention on the maritime sector to grow the economy.

“Therefore, we need a very strong law that is capable of providing for the modern realities. It is very important to us and we are hoping that the law would give us a regulatory framework that would provide regulatory services, especially on how to come about the efficiency of this sector so that business will grow and the Nigerian economy will be better off.”

Speaking on the event and the benefits of the years of collaboration with the judiciary, the Shipper’s Council boss said the organisation has benefited a lot such as the recommendations of conferences in the past has given birth to ‘Admiralty laws’ in the Federal High Courts.

“I can say that there are lots of benefits coming, with regards to this conference and I am sure that by the time this ongoing conference comes to an end, there will be more benefits because we have put together, an array of maritime experts that are here and when we enter the technical section, we would see the quality we have around. And all of us would be educated on the new trends in the maritime sector as far as law and regulations are concerned, ” he said.

He further noted that the gathering, which has been happening for 32 years, has enshrined the relationship targeted at educating both the maritime experts and Judges on the new international rules as a guide to the rule of law.

Also in his remarks, the minister of marine and blue economy, Adegboyega Oyetola said that since the creation of the ministry, they have been working hard to strengthen the institutional and legal frameworks of the agencies under the ministry.

The minister further said in this regard, his ministry has recently thrown its weight behind the repeal of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act CAP N113 LFN and the Enactment of the Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill, 2024, in order to bring it up to speed with current realities and maximise the gains of the ongoing reforms when it is eventually passed in to law.

He therefore urged the judges from various jurisdictions, to provide a veritable platform for the harmonisation and unification of business laws for greater economic integration.