NAN-HE-12
Ports
By Aisha Cole
Lagos, Nov. 22, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) said on Tuesday in Lagos that more dry ports would come on stream in some states in the second quarter of 2017.
The Executive Secretary of the council, Mr Hassan Bello, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Bello said that the council and the concerned states had sorted out the problems that had delayed the coming on stream of the dry ports.
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“The dry ports, one of them has taken off. The dry port in Kaduna and all others are coming up.
“ We have overcome the problems we had with the state governments, including the legal barrier.
“We hope that by the second quarter of 2017, we will have some of the dry ports operating.
“All the ports are gazetted, but not all of them are ports of destination or ports of origin, because the ports should be inspected not only by Nigerian Shippers` Council, but by the Nigerian Ports Authority and other international agencies for them to be certified as ports.
“But progress has been made; most of them have technical partners.
“In Funtua for example, the concessionaire would not only build the port, it would also have rolling stock; it will have its train wagon to carry goods.
“In Isiala-Ngwa in Abia State, the state government has shown tremendous enthusiasm and right now, they have technical partners and they are going to site to start building.
“In Jos, Plateau state, progress has gone far. The state government is also giving it so much support.’’
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Bello said that many other dry ports under construction would come on stream before mid-2017.
The executive secretary said the six dry ports, also known as Inland Container Depots (ICDs) being built across the country through Public Private Partnership (PPP) would be linked to rail lines to ease cargo movement.
He said the ICDs would be located in Kano, Kaduna, Funtua in Katsina state, Isiala-Ngwa in Abia, Jos in Plateau, and Ibadan in Oyo state.
“The rail lines being developed will be linked to the ICDs so that imported goods will get to Nigerians quickly without the stress of having to transport them from Lagos to states where there are ICDs by road.’’
Bello spoke of the need for synergy to make Nigerian ports competitive and effective.
He further urged concessionaires to avoid making arbitrary changes in ports tariffs, in order to make Nigerian ports the economic hub in West and Central Africa.
“It is legitimate for people to make comments on tariffs, because one of the cardinal reasons for port concession is to reduce costs and what we are saying is that we have the standard.
“Tariffs would have to be adjusted over time the tariffs are not fixed and there are scientific ways of arriving at appropriate tariff that must not be tied to service rendered.
“Finally, it is also important to note that no operator should adjust his tariff unilaterally or arbitrarily.
“There are laws in Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act that gives it the power to negotiate charges.
“The Federal High Court has ruled that charges that are not negotiated with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council are null and void.’’ (NAN)
AIC/AJA/LAB/YEE
Edited by Lydia Beshel/Adeleye Ajayi/Emmanuel Yashim
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