Politics
Gbajabiamila Advises Against Over-Regulating Maritime Industry
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, yesterday advised against ‘over-regulation” of the maritime industry.
Gbajabiamila gave the advice in Abuja at the opening of a public hearing on five bills organised by the House of Representatives’ Committee on Maritime, Safety, Education and Administration.
The bills are Merchant Shipping Act (Repeal & Enactment) Bill 2021 (HB.1602) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2021 (HB.1476)
Others are Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) (Amendment) Bill 2020 (HB.77 8), the Maritime Development Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill (202?) (HB.531) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 (HB. 1471)
Gbajabiamila said that the Bills seek to reform and reorganise the nation’s maritime transportation industry fundamentally.
The overall objective, he said, is to ensure that the sector operates optimally.
“It is to make it more attractive to investors and better suited to meet the needs of the people who rely on the maritime industry in various ways.
“Over the last 20 years, there have been repeated efforts by the National Assembly to advance legislation to improve the operations of the industry.
“In fact, these Bills under consideration today were first enacted within the lifetime of this republic. These efforts at reform will continue even after these Bills become law.
“They will continue because as Nigeria continues to diversify our economy away from overreliance on income from the sale of fossil fuels, the shipping and maritime transportation industry represents a significant untapped resource.
“We have an obligation to advance policies and legislation to unlock the potential in that sector and maximise the potential economic benefits to the Nigerian people.
“I have long believed and expressed that the primary role of government as it relates to private industry is to facilitate the conditions that allow private capital to thrive through investment and innovation.
“In performing this role, we must be wary of over-regulation. We must be careful not to over legislate in ways that become inimical to our objectives of advancing the growth and prosperity of the industry,” he said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the committee, Rep. Linda Ikpeazu, said that the hearing is to deliberate on critical maritime sector bills referred to the Committee, by the House-in-plenary.
She said a fruitful deliberation was incomplete without the active participation and engagement of stakeholders and experts in the sector, hence the hearing.
The lawmaker said that Nigeria, by any standard, was well endowed by ocean coastline, rivers and a rich marine bio-diversity.
She said that the fact that the marine pedigree has not translated into a vibrant maritime industry has remained a paradox to all.
“Not only are we focused on making the maritime sector a key alternative source of revenue and economic growth to our dwindling oil resources.
“We are also poised to develop a prosperous blue economy for our nation, akin to similar successes in other maritime nations around the world.
“The fact that our marine pedigree has not translated into a vibrant maritime industry has remained a paradox to all.
“As parliamentarians charged with legislating, over sighting as well as representing the sector, we are poised to reverse this trend.
“It is in this light that this public hearing is very important. It is an avenue to tap into the views and obtain inputs of both operators and regulators, whom in any case will be at the receiving end of their implementation, and other sector experts,” she said.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.