The infrastructure deficit at the Nigerian ports may soon be a thing of the past as the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has said the administrative charges from the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) will help the Federal Government to address the deficits.
The Council also said that the scheme was targeted at checkmating revenue leakages, under declaration, concealment and unilateral imposition of undue surcharges on cargoes.
The declaration was made by the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barr. Hassan Bello, at a one-day enlightenment seminar on International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) for members of the International Freight Forwarders Association in Lagos, on Tuesday.
Bello who was represented at the seminar by the Deputy Director, Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement of the Council, Chief Cajethan Agu said that the scheme was already being implemented in United States, Europe and some other African countries.
In view of this, Bello said it had become necessary to educate the members of the IFFA on the purpose of the ICTN and the benefits and frameworks for its implementation in the country.
He said, “The ICTN currently being implemented in Nigeria and driven by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is expected to reduce the cost of doing business in Nigeria.
“The administrative charges on ICTN will provide the Federal Government the required fund to address infrastructure deficit at the ports for the benefit of all stakeholders.
Speaking further, he added, “The ICTN/ACD scheme is a service directed at checkmating revenue leakages, under declaration, concealment and unilaterally imposing undue surcharges on our cargoes.”
Earlier, Bello quipped that the seminar was intended to create more awareness as the economic regulator of the port and the implementing agency for the scheme.
Also speaking at the event, the President of IFFA, Sam Onyemelukwe said that the association was ready to synergize with Shippers’ Council even though the members had earlier thought that they would not buy the idea.
He however lauded the initiative of the management of NSC even as he said that the association would also identify with projects that would bring about the development of the industry.
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