NAN-H-102
Ports
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Nov.23, 2016 (NAN) Mr Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), says the council is committed to ensure efficiency in the nation’s ports system to be able to compete favourably with neighbouring countries.
Bello stated this on Wednesday at the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA) Forum, a flagship programme of the association in Abuja.
He said that automation of the ports services was necessary to drive the change needed to reform the sector and be able to attract more cargos into the country.
Bello said that automation of ports operations would increases efficiency, decrease waste, adding that openness would interrogate the system and process of cargo clearance.
He said the effect was that people would be attracted to Nigerian ports with increased volumes of cargo which would then enhance the revenue of government.
According to him, there will be more employment and then the Nigerian ports will then become the preferred destination for importers.
“ If it is five days in port A and it is one day in port B, I will rather go to port B because it is the economies of scale that determines which port is used.
“We have made it possible for us to make that comparison within the sub-consciousness of the national discuss in the economy.
“It is important for our ports to be efficient and our ports are picking up now.
“Corruption is what we have been talking about and there are many ways to kill corruption and one of them is automation because the moment you have automation, corruption will just disappear.
“ With the introduction of their electronic payment platform, what took place in six days then, now takes place in six seconds.
“All the delays have been eliminated by NPA and the agency is also trying to introduce other electronic system of doing things, the same thing with customs.’’
The NSC boss urged the government to take a deliberate action to address many challenges confronting the port system through consistent and predictable policies.
He said that investors needed certainty and ease of doing business in Nigeria which could be brought about by government intervention especially in the gridlock at Apapa.
According to him, no matter how efficient a terminal is, if you don’t have the road to evacuate cargos, how can you do it. So there must be some level of intervention.
“ The ideas are to have an electronic passage to ensure that a truck is only in Apapa when it is needed to pick or drop cargo.
“Then the thank farms, we don’t need trailers tanker to go to tank farms because we have the pipeline which is also a means of transportation.
“The moment we have these pipelines pumping to Mosimi and other flow stations, then we don’t need tankers in Apapa.
“ We cannot rely on only access like road; port should be accessible by road, rail, inland water ways and pipelines because the port is not a storage place for cargo at all.’’
Bello also said that NSC had also started the process of establishing Truck Transit Parks along major highways in the country to help address the challenges of trucks parking along major roads in the country.
He said the project was Public Private Partnership (PPP) aimed at reducing incidences of road congestion and loss of cargos due to indiscriminate parking by truck drivers.
The executive secretary explained that the council, in partnership with states government would build modern parks that would have hotels, restaurants, filing stations and garages for repair and maintenance of vehicles.
According to him, the facility will also have weigh measures not only for trucks but also small cars travelling at night can stop over there and stay because there will be security.
“This will provide revenue for the state government because there will be employment for people and other small businesses can spring up there also.
“We have secured a land from Kogi State Government along Abuja road, Enugu State Government has also given us land in Obolo Afor and Kaduna State has indicated interest in the project.
“When we introduced this issue, the Kaduna state government particularly became extremely interested and now they have advertised for people to take interest because it is modern and a cash cow.’’ (NAN)
OYS/MO
=========
Edited by Morayo Omolade