The Senate has passed a bill seeking to establish the Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund.
The passage of the bill followed the consideration of a report by the Conference Committee on the Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2022.
Chairman of the Conference Committee, Senator Danjuma Goje, in his presentation, recalled that the bill was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 28th September, 2021.
According to the lawmaker, the Senate concurred to the passage of the bill after it was transmitted to the upper chamber on Wednesday, 1st December, 2021, with some slight modifications.
He said that the version of the Senate in the bill, which stipulated that the appointment of Executive Secretary should be made without recourse to recommendation of the Minister was adopted at the Conference Committee.
He explained that the area of difference noticed in the two versions of the bill by both chambers, necessitated the constitution of a Conference Committee by the Senate on Tuesday 18th January, 2022, for the purpose of harmonisation.
He said, “The mandate of the Conference Committee, therefore, was to harmonise the area of difference in the two versions of the bill, as passed and make appropriate recommendations for adoption.”
He added that the Conference Committee met on February 1, 2022, to deliberate on the area of difference.
He stated that in the course of the deliberations, it was observed that the only area of difference in the two versions of the bill, as passed by both Chambers, existed in Clause 14 of the Bill, which deals with the appointment of the Executive Secretary and other staff of the Trust Fund.
