Following the ongoing consideration of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Act (repeal and enactment) draft bill before the National Assembly by the Nigerian Senate, the National President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero has called on the Senate to consider alongside the bill, the National Transport Commission Bill.
Amiwero who made this call in his submission to the Chairman Senate Committee on Land Transport stated that the National Transport Commission Bill is a multi-sector bill which accommodated the related service in marine, rail and road transportation in Nigeria forwarded to the National Assembly for legislative process.
According to him,” The National Transport Commission Bill (NTC) is a Multi sector bill under clause 2, of the National Transport commission bill gazetted under extraordinary National Assembly Journal No. 12 of 18th March 2015 vol.12 Bill No.HB15.07.50 which accommodates related service in marine, rail and road transportation in Nigeria and forwarded to the national Assembly legislative process.
“The National Transport Commission bill should be considered along with the bill in marine, rail and road transport as contained in clause 2 of the National Transport bill”.
Pointing out to other relevant sections that needed to be touched in the proposed amendment, he stated that there was no clear separation of railway infrastructure from operation as well as non- inclusion of transit provision in goods carriage in the bill.
He went ahead to state that Section 12, 13,14(2) 55 ,62 and 76, of the Nigerian Railway Corporation bill, which imposed tariff on service contradicted the process that authorised all transport regulated service operators to file their tariff or range of tariff to the National Transport Commission (NTC) under Clause 27 of NTC adding that no tariff of charges should be imposed for the provision of service without approval by the commission under clause 29(2)(a) of NTC.
He therefore recommended that, “The regulation of tariff and services is under the National Transport Commission as contained under Clause 26-(1), 27, 28, 29 and 30 gazetted No.08 18thAugust, 2015 vol. 12 HB.15.07.51. There is the need to exclude the various provision on imposition of tariff and Service under section12,13,14,(2),62 76 and other tariff related functions in the Nigerian railway corporation bill expunge or restructure to be accommodated the National Transport Commission(NTC) Bill”.
He further called for separation of the railway infrastructure from operation as obtained in most African countries that had recorded tremendous growth and investment from the private sector since 1993 through concession adding that that was the way to go globally.
“ In line the international best practice for investment and effective performance to restructure the railway as to accommodate domestic passenger, goods, wet cargo and to have interface within the corridor of other west African states as can be seen in the above listed countries, remove the natural monopoly and create Nigerian Railway Limited/ Authority to enable access of private sector participation through concession and effective regulation by National Transport Commission (NTC).
“The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act No. 18 was clearly omitted in the draft bill of Railways. Railway falls under 36 of ICRC Act No. 18 of 2005 and should be properly drafted and included in the draft bill”, he said.
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