A few days back, Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker of the House of Representatives, unveiled the 134 standing committees of the 10th House of Representatives and their chairmen.
Setting up committees constitutionally enables the National Assembly to carry out oversight functions on the programmes, budget allocation, spending and other activities of government agencies.
Out of the 134 standing committees, seven are directly related to the nation’s maritime industry and the entire transportation sector.
According to Ships & Ports, the seven committees that are directly related to the maritime industry include committees on Ports and Harbour; Maritime Safety, Education and Administration; Customs and Excise; Shipping Services; Inland Waterways; Navy and Land Transport.
Ports and Harbour
The House Committee on Ports and Harbours is responsible for overseeing the activities of the Nigerian Ports Authority in the nation’s seaports. The committee is chaired by Nnoli Nnaji, a member of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) representing the Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency of Enugu State.
Maritime Safety, Education and Administration
The House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration is headed by Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim. The committee is responsible for overseeing the activities of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Maritime Academy, (MAN) Oron among others.
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Customs and Excise
The House Committee on Customs and Excise is to be chaired by Leke Abejide from Kogi State. The committee oversees the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the nation’s seaport.
Shipping Services
Abdussamad Dasuki from Sokoto State is the chairman of the newly created House Committee on Shipping Services. The 45-year-old lawmaker and 13th son of the former Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki is representing Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency in the lower chamber. He served as the Commissioner of Finance in Sokoto State from 2019 to 2023.
Inland Waterways
The House Committee on Inland Waterways oversees the activities of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) on the inland waters and rivers’ ports. Ojotu Ojeme from Benue was appointed the chairman of the House Committee on Inland Waterways.
Navy
The House Committee on Navy is in charge of overseeing the activities of the Nigerian Navy in the nation’s maritime domain. The committee is to be chaired by the 43-year-old Yusuf Gagdi a member of the ruling APC from Plateau State.
Land Transport
The House Committee on Land Transport is responsible for overseeing transportation via the land, which may include road and rail transport. The committee is chaired by Blessing Onuh from Benue State, who is the daughter of former Senate President David Mark.
