• Friday, March 29, 2024
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ECOWAS needs uniform tariff regime for ships calling W/African ports -Bello

Nigerian shipowners back NPA on stoppage of controversial SAA operation

To address issues of inconsistent tariff structure as well as tariff differentials imposed on cargoes calling West African ports by shipping companies, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states need to set a tariff structure for vessels calling their ports, Hassan Bello, executive secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), has said.

Speaking when a team of the monitoring mission of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) task force to Nigeria visited him in Abuja, Bello said one of the challenges of trade in Nigeria was the inconsistent tariff structure which was always higher for ships coming to Nigeria.

“Tariff on ships coming to Nigeria is higher when compared to other ports and there is a need to establish tariff regime. We are also looking at exceptional charges on ships coming into Nigeria like congestion charges, which in some cases may not apply in other ports. All these need to be addressed,” he said.

According to him, the Council was negotiating for a comprehensive review of charges for cargoes. “We must also look at both the Ease and Cost of Doing Business in our ports because addressing them will help in trade facilitation within the region.”

Ken Ukaoha, speaking on behalf of the ETLS, said they were in the Council to see how far it had gone in implementing the agreement signed with the taskforce in 2017.

He said the ETLS would discover if there were areas where they could come in to assist and ensure the progress of trade facilitation with the private sector in Nigeria.

The ETLS was set up by the head of states of member nations to tackle the integration of the economic activities within the region as envisaged by the founding members of ECOWAS.

 

AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE