Coast Guard bill targets maritime agency overlaps
The Provisional Committee for the Proposed Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG) has said the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard will streamline maritime operations, eliminate overlapping responsibilities and improve coordination among relevant agencies.
The committee said the proposed Coast Guard would not create another layer of bureaucracy but would consolidate related civil maritime functions under a unified command structure and statutory framework.
Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The Provisional Committee for the Proposed Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG) has said the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard will streamline maritime operations, eliminate overlapping responsibilities and improve coordination among relevant agencies.
The committee said the proposed Coast Guard would not create another layer of bureaucracy but would consolidate related civil maritime functions under a unified command structure and statutory framework.
The clarification followed concerns raised during the Senate’s consideration of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill and Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s call for wider consultations before the bill proceeds to a third reading.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Director of Communication and Public Affairs of the PC-NCG, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo, spoke on behalf of the committee’s Chief Executive and Accounting Officer, Captain Noah Ichaba.
The committee described the planned consultations as an opportunity to refocus discussions on facts, sound public policy and Nigeria’s national interest.
According to the statement, maritime responsibilities have been fragmented across several government agencies for decades, with different institutions performing related functions under separate command structures, budgets and administrative systems.
The functions include maritime safety and security, law enforcement, environmental protection, search and rescue, border control and anti-smuggling operations.
Ichaba said the central question was whether Nigeria should continue operating fragmented structures or establish a single institution to coordinate related civil maritime responsibilities.
“The evidence overwhelmingly supports this fact: duplication already exists. The Nigerian Coast Guard is designed to eliminate it,” he said.
The committee explained that the proposed Coast Guard would consolidate related civil maritime functions under a unified command, operational doctrine and statutory mandate.
It stressed that the proposed agency would complement existing maritime institutions rather than compete with or duplicate their responsibilities.
The PC-NCG described the proposed Coast Guard as the fourth pillar of Nigeria’s maritime architecture, alongside existing institutions responsible for naval defence, maritime administration and port operations.
It said the reform would address overlapping mandates, duplicated expenditure and weak accountability while improving operational efficiency and the use of public resources.
The committee also argued that Nigeria currently performs several Coast Guard-related functions without having a legally established Coast Guard institution.
According to the statement, the absence of a dedicated Coast Guard has limited administrative efficiency, professional specialisation and Nigeria’s visibility within the global maritime community.
It added that the lack of such an institution undermines Nigeria’s maritime profile despite the country’s extensive coastline, inland waterways and offshore energy assets.
The committee welcomed the Senate’s decision to allow further consultations on the bill and urged stakeholders to focus on existing structural challenges rather than the proposed agency’s name.
“The Nigerian Coast Guard is not a duplication but a correction of duplication,” the committee stated.
“It is not an expansion of bureaucracy but a structural reform aimed at improving coordination, accountability and the prudent use of public resources.
“The duplication is the problem. The Coast Guard is the solution. The time has come to replace fragmented responsibility with unified accountability.”
