The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on Friday called for negotiation with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to achieve reduction on tariff imposition at ports.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello disclosed this in Lagos during a courtesy visit to NPA’s Headquarters’ in Lagos.
Bello said that the negotiation would involve dialogue and constant meeting with the authority to proffer a solution to tariff imposition at the port.
He commended the authority for the introduction of the E-payment which had been improving maritime services adding that E-payment was in line with international standard.
“There is capital improvement on dredging of channels which indicate that the maritime service is moving gradually to be the hub in West Africa.
“NPA should consider multiple access roads why contracting access roads leading to Lekki Deep seaport, so that the constant gridlock happening in Apapa/Tin-Can do not persist at Lekki.
“Constant dredging of Nigerian waters has enabled the bigger vessel to visit our ports,” the Executive Secretary said.
Bello said that Nigeria had been having huge traffic of cargo coming into the country.
He urged NPA to look into expansion of port access road and the road linking to various terminals and quay aprons in the terminal.
Bello said that the continuous gridlock on the port access road had affected efficiency at the ports adding that NSC was interested in reduction of cost of doing business at parts.
He reprimanded NPA for not providing the council with investigating centre in all ports to carry out certain functions to ease the work of NPA.
“To decongest the ports access road, we want to see 70 per cent examination at off dock terminal by promoting the Inland Container Depots.
“The ICD’s is a place where you load and discharge cargo but the only different is that there is no water,” Bello said.
He, however said that there was ICD situated in six states, such as Jos, Funtua, Maiduguri, Isiala Ngwa, Ibadan and Kano.
In his response the Managing Director of NPA, Lamido Sanusi Ado Bayero, pledged to support the NSC to ensure that Nigerian Maritime industry flourish.
Ado Bayero said that NPA had embarked on various technologies to improve on their customers’ demands and enhance trade facilitation.
“We engage on constant channels dredging of our waters to attract bigger vessel into the country.
“We have been engaging our officials in all the ports to make sure that we fulfill the council request on offices at all port.
“NPA is aware of the off dock terminals, there is no way we cannot work with the economic regulator” Ado Bayero said.
He apologized for not informing the council before increasing port tariff adding that NAP had not attempted improving the tariff.
Ado Bayero said that the authority had never made attempt to increase the tariff but we did so in 2014 following the complaints of terminal operators to enable them meet their target. (NAN)
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