By GODFREY BIVBERE

Stakeholders in the maritime industry have called on the Federal Government to speed up the process of legislating an enabling law to back the Nigerian Shippers Council, NCS, as the commercial regulator for the ports.

The Council according to the Executive Secretary, Hassan Bello, has already prepared a draft to that effect.

The stakeholders made the call at a breakfast meeting put together by the management of NSC on its new role as economic regulator, noting that the Council will face a lot of challenges without the law.

Former Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Adebayo Sarumi, called on the Chairman of the Board of the Council, Gen. Ibrahim Salihu, Minister of Transport, Idris Umar and the Special Assistant to the President on Maritime, Leke Oyewole, to work together to ensure that the law is put in place as soon as possible.

Sarumi noted that ship companies were the greatest offenders of the rules while he was the Executive Secretary of the Council years back.

Others, he continued, are agents of ship companies, freight forwarders and the dock workers. He also charged the management of the Council to examine itself to determine whether it has the manpower and all that is needed to function as the commercial regulator. Similarly, former Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Ernest Ndukwe, stressed the need for the laws and rules to be properly spelt out.

Ndukwe said the law must empower the regulator as well as protect the operators and the consumers.

Bello had earlier called on all stakeholders in the industry to cooperate with the Council to enable it discharge its responsibilities as the interim commercial port regulator effectively.

He also assured all parties in the port industry that the Council shall be fare to all while discharging its responsibilities.