By Uche Usim
For proper enforcement and monitoring of port operations, participants at the recent Maritime Seminar for Judges have suggested the transformation of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) into the Nigerian Transport Commission (NTC). Their views were contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the two-day seminar, even as they urged the government to speed up the passage of the long-awaited Ports and Harbour Bill.
The participants also called for the harmonisation of existing domestic maritime laws to avoid duplicity of functions among agencies, adding that the government should put in place adequate measures to sanitise the freight forwarding sub-sector and the customs brokerage business in Nigeria ports. It also urged the Federal Government to factor independent power providers into renewals of the concession/lease at the Nigerian ports to solve the country’s power problems.
According the communiqué, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) should initiate legislations to cover liability of terminal operators for loss, damage or delay to cargo. This, the communiqué said, was in accordance with the framework under the United Nations Convention on Liability of Terminal Operators 1991.It called for the teaching of the Admiralty law in Nigerian universities in view of its strategic importance in Nigeria.
The communiqué stressed the need for a holistic review of the Admiralty Jurisdiction Procedure Rules 2011 and the establishment of an Admiralty Division in the Federal High Court.It said that it was pertinent to review the Evidence Act on electronic evidence and further consider the enactment of an Information Technology Act similar to the Indian Information Technology Act 2010.
The communiqué recommended the establishment of an Electronic Registry (E-Registry) where security granted with respect to electronic documents can be registered and recorded, among others.
The 14th Biennial Maritime Seminar for Judges, was organised by the NSC and Federal Ministry of Transportation in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) and Nigerian Maritime Law Association.