The House of Representatives is beaming its searchlight on the Federal Government’s effort to provide much-needed financial lifeline to Nigerian shipping operators, as an Ad-hoc Committee on Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) holds a public hearing today at the National Assembly Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja.
The House of Representatives mandated the Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the administration of the CVFF and determine, amongst others, the total amount generated, the level of its utilisation, and the identities of all beneficiaries.
The Ad-hoc Committee is also expected to determine the level of indigenous participation in Cabotage activities, and also recommend how the fund can be judiciously used for the benefit of indigenous firms in the maritime sector.
The Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on CVFF, Representative Christopher Eta, said that any person, group of persons, organisations, and the general public with relevant information on the CVFF should forward same to the Clerk of the Committee.
The public hearing, which is expected to be attended by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Maritime Affairs, Mr. Leke Oyewole; and the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, will hold at Conference Room 028, House of Representatives, New Wing at 10:00am.
A powerful delegation of the Nigeria Indigenous Shipowners Association (NISA), it was learnt, will be at the hearing to present a position paper
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