From Anthony Nwachukwu, Lagos
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has been mandated to study the port community system (PCS) in other nations and establish a functional one in Nigeria before President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration ends.
Giving the charge during his visit to the port economic regulator in Lagos over the weekend, the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, stressed the imperative of a competitive PCS, as is obtainable in the Republic of Benin, among others.
“You are the regulator of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other agencies that have anything to do with the port,” Sambo reminded the NSC management.
“The responsibility is on you to ensure we have a port community system. I think it is because we have not placed the responsibility on somebody, that is why we have not been able to achieve the PCS.
“Next week, I will call you and other agencies and roll out the issue. We must have a PCS working for us in Nigeria before the administration comes to a close.”
According to him, “this is a question of direct procurement. We’re not going to circumvent the law of the land. The Public Procurement Act gives us the opportunity to do direct procurement. You need to coordinate as I have given you the role today.”
Earlier, the NSC Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Jime, thanked the minister for obtaining approval for the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN), as well as the successes in the development of inland dry ports.
“I told you that we needed to complete the process of the development of the inland dry port infrastructure, as well as update other key transport infrastructure being promoted by the NSC,” Jime said.
“We accompanied you this month together with the President to deliver on your first low-hanging fruit in the industry, the Dala Dry Port, and also Funtua, as port of origin and destination. These are key transport infrastructures that will aid the Federal Government policies as regards exportation.”
Meanwhile, Jime lamented that funding challenges were hindering the NSC from efficiently carrying out its functions to bring about port efficiency, adding that there was need to strengthen the legal framework to enable the NSC achieve the desired goal in this regard.
“The funding source of the NSC is completely inadequate,” he noted. “The one per cent freight stabilisation levy is the main source of the NSC (funding) and we have never been able to access that source of revenue.”
