A NIGERIAN House committee continued to wrestle with the wording of a bill to eliminate arbitrary port charges, reports Abuja's Leadership newspaper.

Speaking with reporters after public hearings on the repeal of the Nigerian Shippers Council Act, House committee chairman Abdussamad Dasuki said they were still collating views stakeholders on the bill before a vote in the House of Representatives.

According to Mr Dasuki, the bill would repeal a law preventing Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC) from enforcing a presidential directive concerning economic regulation of the ports.

The House Committee on Shipping Services and Related Matters said the Nigerian Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill will curb arbitrary charges when signed into law.

According to Mr Dasuki, the bill seeks to repeal a law preventing Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC) from enforcing a presidential directive concerning economic regulation of the ports.

"Every stakeholder in the Nigerian maritime industry wants an economic regulator. The era of impunity has to stop. The stakeholders input was very useful and educative," he said.

"The bill is to repeal a law which is preventing the Nigerian Shippers Council from enforcing a presidential directive concerning economic regulation of the ports. The nation's maritime industry is overdue for this, and we will see to its implementation."