Gagdi’s Bill: Reps Act to establish NMS Trust Fund passes second reading
By Tom Okpe
The Bill for an Act to establish Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund and other matters related thereto (2020), has passed second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives.
The bill was, on Wednesday later referred to the relevant committee for final legislative inputs.
Leading debate on the second reading, which received unanimous endorsement of the lawmakers present on the floor of the green chambers, its sponsor, Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, who Chairs the House Committee on Navy, said the general principle of the bill was to provide for the establishment, a special fund for training and retraining of naval personnel for optimum productivity, as well as funding for equipment and machineries that will aid the seamless protection of waterways by the Nigerian Navy, thereby guaranteeing a robust economic development of the country.
He maintained that since the mainstay of Nigerian economy (oil) is majorly sourced and moved through the waterways, the largest chunk of the nation’s import and export of other goods are carried out through the seas.
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It is imperative that the Nigerian Navy is sufficiently equipped and routinely trained to curb the excesses of pirates, oil bunkerers and other illegal activities on our waterways that hamper our economic development.”
He noted the importance of the Bill, with all contributors to the debate lending their voices to the establishment of the fund, urging the House to pass the bill into law without further delay.
The bill was first read on 15th March, 2021 and seek to exist for 8 years from the commencement date of the Act, (when finally passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President), unless it is further extended by an Act of the National Assembly.
The glowing contributions to the debate by members underscore the importance of the bill to the economic development of Nigeria and national security.
