The executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Dr Pius Akutah, has pledged total legal reform at the council after receiving an award for excellence from the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Abuja over the weekend.
Akutah expressed appreciation for being recognised for such an award and said the award was a strong endorsement from one of the country’s most critical and respected professional bodies, the NUJ.
Speaking to journalists after receiving the award, Akutah said the NUJ’s acknowledgement was significant, not just for him but for all recipients, given the union’s decades-long record of journalistic integrity and constructive scrutiny.
He said, “Being honoured by the NUJ means a lot to me. This union has lasted over 70 years, training and nurturing media professionals who hold leaders accountable. So, for them to recognise me today means expectations are high and it’s a challenge I embrace.”
Regarding the legal reforms, Akutah, a former prosecutor in the Ministry of Justice, said they would transform the port sector into a major economic engine.
He said, “In the next five years, we expect to see a fully grounded regulatory agency that will overhaul the port economy. We are talking about job creation, automation of port systems, increased investor confidence, and a significant boost to national revenue.”
Speaking on the sector’s challenges, Akutah identified the outdated legal framework under which the Nigerian Shippers Council operated, especially since it was designated as the Port Economic Regulator through a presidential directive.
He said that to address this, the council pushed for a new legal regime, which resulted in the drafting of a bill to establish the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency.
He said, “With support from the minister, we now have a bill that has passed through both chambers of the National Assembly and is awaiting presidential assent. Once signed, this law will empower the new agency to regulate the sector effectively, protect foreign and local investments, and drive professionalism while locking out bad actors.”
Akutah, appointed under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his bold decision to diversify Nigeria’s economy by focusing on non-oil sectors, particularly import and export.
He also praised the minister of marine and blue economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for supporting critical reforms within the port system.
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