Increase Uche, national president of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), has expressed satisfaction with the policies and projects of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), which help in achieving Ease of Doing Business at the ports.
According to him, the Council’s constant interface with service providers and Customs commands have impacted positively on services at the ports by smoothening operations in many ways.
“Constant dialogue with the service providers including shipping companies and terminal operators on the need to fast-track services at the ports, have compelled many of them to improve on their equipment profile vis-a-vis their services at the ports,” he stated.
Uche, who spoke in an interview at the weekend, said that having enough cargo handling equipment helps in positioning of containers for examination very fast, thereby improving on timely delivery of cargo to the importers’ warehouses and turnaround time of vessels.
Expressing dismay on the issue of shipping charges which the Council had declared illegal, but service providers challenged in the court, Uche further noted that the Council needs to be empowered by law to enable them ‘bite when the need arises’.
He called for the passage of the National Transport Commission Bill (NTC) by the National Assembly in which the NSC is to simply transmute into economic regulatory.
He also described the Inland Dry Port (IDP) and Truck Transit Park (TTP) projects being promoted by the Council as having a great value not just for the shippers but also for the entire logistics industry.
While Inland Ports will promote import and export business in all parts of the country, particularly the rural areas, TTPs, he said will ease transportation for truck drivers.
“With Inland Ports, businessmen in all parts of the country will have advantage of having port services nearer to them. This will also make export business easy for them. It will save the nightmare of having to travel long distances to Lagos ports or other seaports to consign their goods for export,” he added.
Uzoamaka Anagor-Ewuzie
