Shippers Council To Become Transport Commission

The House of Representatives has passed a bill for an Act establishing the National Transport Commission (NTC) as an independent multimodal transport sector regulator.
The bill, which is now up for concurrence in the senate, would transmit the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) into N T C and transfer the staff, properties, rights,debts,liabilities,obligations, function and powers Currently vested in the NSC to NTC
Essentially, the main objectives of the bill is to provide efficient economic  regulatory framework for the transport sector, mechanism for monitoring compliances of government agencies,  transport service providers and users in the regulated transport industry with relevant legislation and to advise government on matters relating to economic regulation of the  regulated  Transport industry.
The bill, prepared by chairman, House Committee on land transportation ,
Hon. Aminu  Sani Isa, and sponsored  by Hon. Osai Nicholas had identified critical areas requiring urgent reforms to reposition the sector and add value to the economy.
It argued that though one of the cardinal objectives of  the transport sector reforms introduced by the federal government was to bring about efficiency in the area of service delivery and reduce cost of doing business
in the industry, charges have however, continued to increase, thereby forcing many transport users to take their business to rival port in the West African  Sub Region , with  consequent massive revenue  losses to our nation.
Speaking on the transformation of NSC to NTC, Isa said, “It was highly observed that the thrust of the NTC Bill is economic regulation. To a great extent this is also the main thrust  of  the NSC Act. For example, section 6(1) (b) (c), and (h) of the draft NTC bill 2015, and section 3 of the NSC Act, Cap N133, LFN 2004 have similarities  of functions.
He  said “The NSC has since its creation in 1978, established  national spread  and accompanying assets  including a 12 storey  twins towers  that serves as its head office complex  in Lagos, a four-storey  two wings Liaison Office  Complex  in Abuja,  well  equipped library  and  an expansive training rooms as well a fleet of operational vehicles.
“The  Council also has six zonal  offices in the  six geo-political zones  as well as area and port offices  spread across the states  of the federation, by  virtue  of its experience and the fact  it has been  performing.
Similar economic regulatory functions in the port sub-sector of the transport industry, the council is most suitable and easily adaptable to perform the role of an economic regulator”
The transformation is also aimed at saving cost, reduce duplication of agencies and easy adaptability among others.