Lagos – Maritime activities ended on Friday in Lagos as the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) received an award by the Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS) for Prudent News Dissemination.
A Director and Head of Lagos Office of NAN, Mr Joe Bankole, received the award on behalf of the agency.
Bankole said that NAN was always happy to partner with organisations and individuals involved in the running of the nation’s economy.
“As an organisation concerned with the continued development of the maritime sector in Nigeria, the Shippers’ Association Lagos State is one group that NAN has been partnering with for many years.
“This honour done the agency by the association is deeply appreciated and we will continue support the vision of SALS to take the maritime industry to higher heights.
“We congratulate them (SALS) for their 2nd Shippers’ Day celebration,’’ NAN quotes him as saying.
In his remark, the President of SALS, Mr Jonathan Nicol, said the informal sector of cargo management should be resuscitated.
Nicol said that, “The informal sector will contribute as much as 45 per cent of the total cargo throughput.’’
He also stressed the need for State Shippers’ Associations to come together and speak with one voice.
The shipper said that “the nation is at a very crucial stage as far as the economy is concerned.’’
According to him, we need everybody to come together because the organised private sector cannot do it alone,’’ Nicol said
Other awardees included: Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Apapa Bulk Terminal (ABTL), Coscharis Group, Nigerite and other notable operators in the maritime industry.
In the week under review, the Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi, said that improving on port efficiency was one of the priorities of his administration.
Amaechi stated this at a two-day Conference on “Improved Ports Efficiency in Nigeria’’, organised by the Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON).
He said that after assumption of duty, he discovered that a lot still needed to be done to improve port administration in the country.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
Amaechi said that the role of maritime industry in the economic, political as well as social development of any nation could not be over- emphasised.
He said that the Federal Government was committed to building a virile and efficient platform that would advance the contribution of the maritime sub-sector to the growth of the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP).
Amaechi said that the contributions of the maritime industry would also serve as an alternative source of government revenue.
“As we know, seaports are entrances and exit gates through which the trade needs of transit and landlocked countries are met.
“The nation’s ports, therefore, provide the interface between land, sea and the most cost-effective mode of transportation,’’ the minister said.
He said that prior to Port Reform of 2006 in Nigeria, ports services were characterised by inadequate funding, inefficiency, bureaucratic bottlenecks due to presence of multiple and uncoordinated security agencies.
Amaechi said that the era of Public Private Partnership (PPP) had brought efficient port service, adding that there was an upsurge in cargo throughput and reduction in cargo dwell time.
He said that the concession era had improved Vessel Turnaround time, adding that it had also improved ports infrastructure, upgrading and Greenfield development.
Amaechi said that in spite of the tremendous developments in the port sector, there was still need to make Nigerian ports cost-effective to attract more business.
Also speaking, the President of MARCON, Mr Ismail Aniemu, said that the association was concerned that the leadership positions in some of the agencies under the ministry of transportation were filled in acting capacity.
Aniemu said that the situation was affecting quick decision making in terms of efficiency and operation of some agencies.
Also during the week, the Zonal Coordinator of Customs, Zone `A’, Assistant Comptroller-General Eporwei Edike called for proper sensitisation of Nigerian exporters to meet international standards.
Edike made the call at a two-day Maritime Summit organised by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) and Tell Magazine in Lagos.
He said that the most of the products being exported were usually of low standard, adding that there should be more enlightenment “on what exporters are expected to produce’’.
“The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Retired Col. Hameed Ali, will be providing free training for the teeming youths for them to be enlightened on exportable products.
“If the youth are properly tutored on exports, they will be so fulfilled that they will turn down any job offer, ’’ Edike said.
He said that there was need for exporters to engage in strategic planning to enable them know the time of arrival of vessels before bringing their goods to the ports.
Also speaking, the Director, Production Department of Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Williams Ezeagwu, urged Nigerians to support the government in diversifying the nation’s economy by going into exportation.
Ezeagwu said that the benefits of exportation were numerous.
“Exportation increases foreign exchange earnings from key agricultural products,’’ NAN quotes him as saying.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, called for good automation system of cargo clearance at the ports.
Bello urged the stakeholders to always engage in honest declaration to fast-track clearance procedures and assist the government in achieving the 48-hour cargo clearance target.
He said that policy inconsistency had affected the realisation of efficient port operations in the country.
Bello said that there was need to seek an appropriate policy framework that would assist the transformation of Nigerian Ports.
The executive secretary suggested the need to engage in multi-modal transportation instead of concentrating on single model transport. (NAN)