Senate has passed a bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund. The bill for the Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund would provide for the establishment of a special fund for training and retraining, Provision of Security Equipment, and Related Facilities, Enhance the Skills of naval Personnel for optimum productivity, just as it would also provide funding for equipment and machinery that would aid the seamless protection of waterways by the Nigerian Navy. The bill will help guarantee a robust economic development of the country, just as it was imperative to pass the bill to enable the Nigerian Navy was equipped and trained to curb the excesses of pirates, oil bunkers, and other illegal activities on the nation’s waterways that could hamper the nation’s economic development.
The passage of the bill was sequel the consideration of a report by the Conference Committee on the Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2022. In his presentation, Chairman of the Conference Committee, Senator Danjuma Goje, recalled that the bill was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 28th September, 2021. With the passage, the National Assembly has given President Buhari the unilateral Power to appoint Executive Secretary of Maritime Security Trust Fund. According to Goje, the Senate concurred to the passage of the bill after it was transmitted to the upper chamber on Wednesday, 1st December, 2021, with some slight modifications. He said that the area of difference noticed in the two versions of the bill by both chambers, necessitated the constitution of a Conference Committee by the Senate on Tuesday 18th January, 2022, for the purpose of harmonisation.
Goje said, “The mandate of the Conference Committee, therefore, was to harmonise the ar1ea of difference in the two versions of the bill, as passed and make appropriate recommendations for adoption.” Goje who noted that the Conference Committee met on Tuesday 1st February, 2022 to deliberate on the area of difference, said that in the course of the deliberations, it was observed that the only area of difference in the two versions of the Bill, as passed by both Chambers, existed in Clause 14 of the Bill, which deals with the appointment of the Executive Secretary and other staff of the Trust Fund. Whilst the House of Representatives version of the Bill provides in Clause 14 (1) that the appointment of the Executive Secretary of the Trust Fund shall be made by Mr. President on the recommendation of the Minister, the Senate version provides that such appointment should be made without recourse to the recommendation of the Minister charged with the responsibility of Defence. He said that after extensive deliberations on this area of difference, the Conference Committee adopted the Senate version. The Conference Committee report was, thereafter, adopted by the chamber during plenary, and the bill to establish the Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund passed after consideration by the Committee of the Whole.
