By Samuel Itsede
The Chairman house committee on commerce Hon. Ahmed Munir has pleaded for understanding between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the Nigeria Export Promotion Council over the unpaid 10% percent freight Levies due NEPC since 2007.
The Chairman made the plea after both parties fail to agree on the agreed percentage which was arrived at by an act of the national assembly which NIMASA is insisting does not exist in the act that established it after it was changed to the Nigeria Maritime Authority.
In their presentations both parties stuck to their claims sighting the act that established them.
The Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of NEPC is relying on the act passed by the national assembly that compels NIMASA to Fund the Council she argued that the refusal of NIMASA to remit the 10% levy has greatly hindered the operations of NEPC.
On his part the representative of the DG, NIMASA is hanging on the lacuna in the act that set it up which clearly did not expressly state that it should remit such fund to NEPC.
Earlier in his address to the committee, the speaker who was represented by the house majority leader Hon. Julius Ihonvbere calls for coorperation with the committee to enable it meet its objective on the matter.
He also called for synergy amongst government agencies to enable government meet its promise of economic prosperity to the people.
The committee has directed the agencies to find a common ground to resolve the Impasse for the good of the country.
