The National Assembly, on Wednesday, passed a resolution for President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint the Executive Secretary of Maritime Security Trust Fund.
It handed the power to Buhari following the consideration of the Conference Committee Report on a “Bill For An Act To Establish The Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund For the Purpose of Training, Provision of Security Equipment, and Related Facilities, Enhance the Skills of the Personnel of the Nigerian Navy”.
The report was submitted by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Danjuma Goje.
While presenting the bill, Senator Goje said that the version of Senate in the bill which stipulated that the appointment of Executive Secretary should be made without recourse to the recommendation of the minister was adopted at the Conference Committee.
He said, “In the course of the deliberation, it was observed by the Conference Committee that the only area of difference in the two versions of the bill as passed by the respective chamber exists in Clause 14 of the Bill, which deals with the appointment of the Executive Secretary and other staff of the Trust Fund.
“Whilst the House of Representatives version of the Bill provides Clause 14(1) that appointment of the Executive Secretary of the Trust Fund shall be made by Mr President on the recommendation of the Minister, the Senate version provides that such appointment should be made without recourse to the recommendation of the Minister charged with the responsibility for Defence.
“After extensive deliberations on this area of difference, the Conference Committee adopted the Senate version.
“They are of the view that such sensitive appointment should be left at the discretion of Mr President in line with the similar appointment on the subject matter.”
It could be recalled that the Nigerian Maritime Security Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2021 was passed by the House of Representatives on Tuesday 28th September 2021.
Thereafter, the bill was transmitted to the Senate for concurrence.
Accordingly, the Senate concurred to the passage of the bill by passing on Wednesday 1 December 2021 with some slight modification.
