The Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen on Wednesday said that aviation, land and maritime transport were the backbone of any modern thriving economy.
Abbas said this while declaring open a public hearing on the amendment of Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Act, 2022 in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Bill under consideration seeks to enhance the powers and operational reach of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau.
The objective is to strengthen the Bureau’s capacity to address safety-related issues in a more holistic manner beyond aviation and to include land and marine sectors as well.
The speaker, represented by the member for Demsa/ Numan/Lamurde Federal Constituency, Adamawa, Rep. Kwamoti Bitrus said that the bill was necessary to enhance efficiency and optimal performance.
“Aviation, land and maritime transport, form the backbone of any thriving modern society.
“These sectors not only facilitate commerce and communication but also promote our national image and readiness to engage in regional and global partnerships,” he said.
The speaker said that the Bill was a deliberate legislative step to modernise the Bureau’s functions in line with Nigeria’s evolving transport architecture and safety obligations.
He described the public hearing as a strategic opportunity for stakeholders, government institutions, safety investigators and the public to contribute their views on how to improve the legal instrument establishing the Bureau.
According to him, every clause of this amendment must be examined with precision and foresight.
Abbas affirmed that the goal of the public hearing was to produce law that not only would meet the current demands, but also flexible enough to accommodate emerging safety challenges in the years ahead.
He said that the proposed amendment to the NSIB Act was not just a conventional legislative exercise, but a national response to the reality that safety systems must be proactive and not reactive.
“Incidents in transportation, whether minor or tragic should always trigger institutional learning and policy advancement.
“This is why the Bureau must be equipped with a broader mandate and stronger tools to carry out its role effectively,” he said.
The speaker explained that the ability to investigate incidents across multiple modes of transport would ensure greater coherence in safety management and better coordination in emergency response.
Earlier, the Chairman, House Joint committee on Special Duties and Aviation, Rep. Frederick Agbedi, said that the hearing was more than a legislative obligation, but a vital opportunity for dialogue, partnership and progress.
Agbedi said that the amendment was aimed at strengthening the NSIB’s capacity to investigate, prevent and respond more effectively to incidents across aviation, land transportation, marine sector and beyond.
“We are here today because we care about the safety of Nigerians – in the air, on land, at sea, and across our entire transport infrastructure.
“We are also here because we believe in inclusive governance and the value of public input in shaping laws that affect us all,” he said.
He said that the voice of stakeholders as experts, industry operators, civil society actors and concerned citizens was crucial for improved NSIB.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Dr Onwusoro Maduka, expressed the support of the SGF for the amendment.
Maduka said that the amendment would further enhance optimal performance of the Bureau for national safety and development.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Dr Ibrahim Kana who lauded the National Assembly for development-oriented laws, urged them not to move NSIB under the watch of SGF.
Kana urged them to allow the NSIB to remain under the watch of the Ministry of Aviation in accordance with global best practices.
