Reps pledge quick pasage of shipping institute bill

By Godwin Oritse

SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Honourable Dimeji Bankole has assured stakeholders in the maritime industry of a quick and accelerated passage of the bill that will charter the Certified Institute of Shipping of Nigeria (CISN).

The speaker who represented by Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Marine Transport, Honourable Kalba Gora Adamu said that the bill when passed into law will  regulate operators and induce professionalism in the sector.
This assurance was made on Thursday in Badagry, Lagos during the 2009 Investiture & Award ceremony and turning of sod of the permanent site of CISN.

The House Speaker also commended the Certified Institute of Shipping for its commitment and dedication to manpower training and development for the shipping sector since inception.

“We had a public hearing just about two days ago (on the bill). All the advantages of this institute have been enumerated there; socially, economically and otherwise and we are convinced that this is the right time and we will be very proud that the leadership of the House entirely is  part of the success story”, Honourable Kalba Gora Adamu said.

The Minister of Transport, Honourable Ibrahim Isa Bio, who was represented by the Executive Director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Ishyaku Shekarau, also poured encomiums on the foremost shipping training institute.

“The Federal Government is fully appreciative of the role played by private institutions like the CISN, which has ventured into historically difficult maritime sphere by investing human and material resource in the promotion of maritime capacity. We are therefore committed to putting in place every necessary measure that will ensure the success of the CISN and other like_minded organizations”, the Minister stated in his keynote address.

The high points of the event was the cutting of the institute’s 10th  year anniversary cake, the turning of the sod for the institute’s permanent site, presentation of awards and fellowship and the induction of new associate members.

The CISN permanent campus site was named “Dr. Bamanga Tukur International Maritime Conference Centre” after the former Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority and former Governor of the defunct Gongola State, Alhaji (Dr.) Bamanga Tukur

Registrar of CISN, Dr. Alex Okwuashi said that the permanent site was named after Bamanga Tukur, who is also the President of the African Business Roundtable, “in recognition of his contribution to the growth and development of the shipping sector and for his pioneering role in the training and development of indigenous capacity and promotion of good governance”.