The Senate on Thursday rejected a bill for an Act to establish National Road Transport Council, which was sponsored by the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Ashiru (APC Kwara South).
The proposed piece of legislation, titled National Road Transportation Council (Establishment) Bill, 2024, was intended to be saddled with the responsibility of regulating the road transport industry and the transport profession and other related matters in Nigeria.
Leading debate on the bill, Ashiru revealed that if signed into law, a council board would be established which shall consist of a chairman and six members drafted from each geo-political zone of the country.
According to the explanatory memoranda of the bill presented on behalf of the sponsor by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno (APC Borno North), the Board shall be presided by a representative from Ministries of Transport, Commerce and Industry, and Aviation, and they shall not be below the rank of a Director.
He listed functions of the proposed council to include creating an effective regulatory framework on road transport service operators; determining the standard of knowledge and skills required for road transport service operators; encouraging the advancement of education in road transportation; ensuring accessibility of road transport facilities, channels, and routes; monitoring the performance of the regulated road transport industry; and conducting background check on road transport service operators.
Others are registering all road transport service providers and determine the fees for such registration; setting guidelines and general policies for road transport service operators; updating the Federal Government on its activities and progress through annual and audited reports; reviewing progress and suggest improvement within the provisions of this Bill and do such other things as are necessary or incidental to the objects of the Council under this Bill or as may be assigned by the Federal Government.
Contributing to the debate, Senators Victor Umeh (LP Anambra Central), Adams Oshiomhole (APC Edo North) and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP Kogi Central), among others, kicked against the bill, saying that it was tantamount to undue duplication of functions with some existing agencies of government, such as the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, and the Directorate of Road Transport Service, DRTS otherwise known as Vehicle Inspection Office, VIO.
Consequently, when the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio put it to voice vote, majority of the Senators voted against it.