The Senate has approved a N5m fine against any company that fails to provide dignified means of transportation for its employees.

The director of such company is also liable to N200,000 fine.

The Senate took the decision during the consideration of report the Senate Committee on Land Transport chaired by Senator Olugbenga Ashafa.

The report was on a Bill for an Act to Provide for the Transportation Protection and Facilities of Employees and other matters connected therewith.

The purpose of the Bill is to protect and enforce the safety and dignity of Nigerian workers by ensuring that employers make provision for safe and convenient means of transportation for their workers.

Senators adopted the report clause-by$clause in the Committee of the Whole after its presentation by Ashafa.

Ashafa said the fine for a corporate body was raised from N1m to N5m to enhance safety measures for employees.

According to the report, offences under the bill shall be tried by the National Industrial Court” while any case of victimisation of employees should be reported to the Minister of Transportation.

The senators considered the inclusion of suitable and conducive vessels in the riverine areas for the purpose of conveying employees to and from work.

They also considered other safety measures which made it mandatory for employers to acquire well-equipped vehicles with seat belts and “at least a 46-inch high rail or enclosure on the sides and back of the vehicle.”

The Senate resolved that vehicles meant for conveying employees

“must have lamps, brakes, horn, mirrors, windshield, turn signals and other safety equipment.

“Every truck-type bus must have seats with backrests and must be provided with a minimum of 18 inches seat space for each passenger.

“Where the sitting is face to face, the aisle between the seats facing each other shall be 24 inches wide at the narrowest point.”

The Senate also resolved that all staff buses must be equipped with approved reflectors, fire extinguishers, carry a conspicuous mark on the outside of the number of passengers to be carried and shall not be allowed to carry more than the recommended number.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr Dakuku Peterside, on Tuesday said Nigeria is being perceived to be the headquarters of piracy in the world.

Peterside said this while defending his agency’s 2019 budget before the Senate Committee on Marine Transport.

Peterside who made the submission in response to a question on why NIMASA’s contributions into the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2018 reduced by N6bn when compared to the N22bn remitted into the account in 2017, said the maritime crime was largely responsible for the fall in revenue.

” Our own problem here is more of maritime crime and not piracy which is committed on high seas, but within the sector, Nigeria is largely seen as headquarters of piracy in the world,” he said.

The agency’s remittance into the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2017 was N22bn while that of 2018 was N16bn, showing a shortfall of N6bn.

Peterside appealed to the committee to facilitate the process of the Senate giving concurrence to Maritime Security Bill also passed by the House of Representatives.

“We need adequate security on our waterways, the very reason why the Anti- Piracy law already passed by the House of Representatives is urgently needed,” he said.