Deputy Spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, other Lawmakers, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Shippers Council and several Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), on Monday rejected the Bill for an Act to establish Nigerian Marine Corps.
The House Committee on Navy, on Monday conducted public hearing on the Bill, which seeks to promote maritime security and enhance the safety of the blue economy of Nigeria.
Known as a Bill for an Act to Establish Nigerian Marine Corps to Promote Maritime Security (HB 225), the Bill, sponsored by Rep. Alex Egbona (Cross River), passed second reading on the floor of the House on Thursday, 30th November, 2023, and was referred to the House Committee on Navy for a public hearing.
Speaking against the Bill on Monday, Rep. Agbese, who is a Member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency, said the Bill proposes to create a new federal body tasked with maritime law enforcement and defense responsibilities traditionally managed by the Nigerian Navy and other existing agencies, such as NIMASA, and it would lead to duplication of functions, if allowed to scale through.
Speaking on behalf of 66 other Members of the House, Agbese stressed that, as Members of the House, it was their duty to critically examine proposed legislation with a view to ensuring its alignment with the best interests of the nation and to avoid the creation of unnecessary or duplicative structures within government agencies.
“Acting under the mandate to promote efficient governance and resource management, we hereby call for the total and complete rejection of the bill proposing the establishment of the Nigerian Marine Corps”, he said.
Speaking further, Agbese said, “It is our contention as Members of this legislative body that the creation of this new entity would only result in significant overlap, redundancy, and logistical strain, creating operational inefficiencies and imposing unwarranted financial demands on the government.
“The proposed Act outlines the creation of a maritime enforcement agency charged with enforcing or assisting in the enforcement of federal laws on, under, and over Nigeria’s high seas and other waterways, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and required to maintain a state of readiness to function as a specialized service within the Nigerian Navy in times of war. This proposed body raises multiple operational, economic, and strategic concerns particularly in the areas of jurisdictional conflicts, wartime readiness, legal authority, and environmental management.
“We have thoroughly examined this bill and its objectives and we assert that the establishment of a Nigerian Marine Corps is both redundant and counterproductive, given the existing roles, mandates, and capacities of the Nigerian Navy and other maritime agencies.
“We therefore firmly and unequivocally call for the total defeat of the bill and a recommendation for its immediate withdrawal, while highlighting the compelling need to prioritize efficiency, fiscal responsibility, and coherent maritime governance”.
On its part, the Nigeria Police Force described the Bill as ill-advised, stressing that it does not only lead to duplication of duties, which a section of the Force is currently undertaking, but it would result to proliferation of maritime security outfits and tantamount to a parallel unit of the armed forces of Nigeria.
“The proposed Nigerian Marine Corps, while well-intentioned, has the potential to create more problems than it solves. A more prudent approach would be to strengthen existing agencies and optimize their capabilities to ensure effective maritime security. By streamlining existing structures and fostering inter-agency cooperation, Nigeria can enhance its maritime security capabilities without incurring unnecessary costs or creating additional bureaucratic hurdles”, said SP. Nandom Vongjen, Staff Officer Marine Section, who represented the Police Force.
In their separate submissions, the Chief of Training & Operations of Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Olusegun Ferreira; Coordinator, NIMASA, Abuja Zonal Office, Mrs. Moji Jimoh and Director, Legal Services, Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr. Bala Saleh; underscored the need to strengthen the already existing agencies, rather than creating new ones which could pose more security threats to the nation.
All the Members of the Civil Society Organisations who attended the public hearing, spoke against the Bill, urging the House to kill the Bill during the third reading, describing it as unnecessary.
Those who spoke on behalf of the CSOs include, Abdullahi Bilal, Spokesman for Security Analysts & Research Forum in Africa; Okwa Daniel, Executive Director, Centre for Social Justice, Equity & Transparency; Daniel Momoh Prince, National President, Nigerian Unemployed Youth Association; Igwe Ude-Umanta, Convener, Coalition of Civil Society Organisations on Economic Watch; Opialu Fabian, Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights & Advocacy in Africa Network; amongst others.
While adjourning the hearing, Chairman, House Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gadgi, assured Nigerians that due diligence would be done in carrying out legislative actions on the Bills, saying, the Committee was an impartial body and as such, would not take sides in doing its work.
