House of Rep Member Raises Fresh Hope Over Cabotage Act Review
By Dapo Olawuni
Following the alleged failure of the Merchant Shipping Act 2007, otherwise known as Cabotage Act, a House of Representatives elect 2019, Mufutau Egberongbe has assured that the 9th assembly would look into the workability of the Act.
Egberongbe stated this recently while speaking with DAILY TREND NEWS in Lagos.
He also assured said that the 9th National Assembly would revisit the Bill for the granting of special status to Lagos State. The Bill, titled A Bill for an Act to make provisions for Federal Grants to Lagos State in recognition of its strategic socio- economic significance and other connected purposes, was sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos Central.
According to the lawmaker, a former Lagos House of Assembly ember representing Apapa, the advantage of the litoral nature of Lagos is not being exploited to the maximum.
He called for a synergy between the state, federal agencies, private individuals and corporate entities to come into a joint venture with the government to ensure that goods and services are ferried through the waterways, in order to relieve the pressure on land transport.
Speaking on the Cabotage law, he said “Prior to this time, I have always canvassed that the Cabotage Act, which is more like a local content law, the provisos should be adequately adhered to and implemented so that goods and services coming to our shores, our people get a chunk of the employment, this is the summary of the Law”
“We would see that this is adhered to so that we can generate the desired employment for our people” he assured
He noted that alternative modes of transportation remains key in reducing the stress and traffic on Lagos highways.
“I had canvassed this severally that goods and passengers can be navigated from Apapa through the ferry and the waterways, there is an urgent need to take an advantage of this God endowed opportunities to the Lagos state”
“Another striking point is the issue of special status for Lagos State, Lagos is a cosmopolitan state, a mega city and the commercial centre of Nigeria and there is need for it to be given a special status”
“Anywhere in the world over where the federal capital is moved from one place to the other, the infrastructures that are left behind needs to be serviced, the National Arts Theatre, the roads and so many more that are hitherto federal in nature, needs to be serviced”
“The Bill did not get the light of the day because some of our people are being myopic and because of the kind of leadership we have in the 8th assembly, going forward, this needs to be revisited” Egberongbe said