…Visits CMA CGM shipping company
Following plans by the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to commence withdrawal of service at the Lagos seaports on Wednesday to protest poor infrastructure at the port as well as demand improved condition of service for members, the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC) has appealed to them the action.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Barr. Hassan Bello who made the appeal while fielding questions from journalists shortly after an assessment visit to the management of CMA CGM in Apapa, Lagos on Monday said the appeals to suspend the action became imperative as the action if allowed to scale through would be terrible for the economy at this material time.
Bello disclosed that the Council had been engaging the leadership of MWUN since last week Friday adding that discussion over the planned action was ongoing.
According to him, “We have been in discussion with the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria from Friday evening up till today. We are having a meeting that is why I am rushing back to the office at 2pm. We want to also call for their understanding because it will be terrible at this material time during the Christmas time, during the peak period, when we have congestion at 20%. Any cessation of work by whatever hours will increase the woes we are having.
“So, we are going to appeal to them, we are going to have their complains directly and the officials of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Permanent Secretary, the Minister, they are aware that we are having the 2 O’clock meeting so as to dissuade them from going on that strike.”
On the purposes of the visit to CMA CGM, the NSC boss noted that the management of the Council embarked on a visit to the shipping companies and terminals to ensure that the processes were as quick as they ought to be adding that “we know there are challenges, CMA CGM for example, we have examined and see that they are 65% or 60% compliant. That is to say they are digital but we want that to be 85% to 90% in the first quarter of 2021.”
While admitting that there were lots of problems, he however added that the high cost of doing business in the Nigerian ports were artificial as there was no formal increase in charges by providers of shipping services.
“Neither the terminals nor shipping companies nor the government institutions, no one has raised charges but the charges we are having is as a result of disruptions and distortions by the failure of infrastructure. The roads are not just good now, we admit but government is doing very serious thing about it. If you go to Oshodi-Tincan-Mile 2 axis, you see the amount of work being done. That is the major artery where we evacuate cargo from the port. This road, Leventis-Ijora is secondary within the Lagos logistics ring.
“So, we are going round to make sure, congestions were up to 30 days but it is coming down to 20 days. So, you see that things are happening. We want to make sure that by the first quarter of 2021, everything is alright. We are introducing four cardinal things; we want 24 hours port operations. Our ports operate limited time, that means cargo will come and nobody will work on it. We are working with Customs, Nigerian Ports Authority, NIWA, NIMASA and every other to make sure that 24 hour port operation will commence and this will mean at every time, our port will work just like the airport.
“Now, we are also having rail, the government is constructing right now, rail up to Apapa port. So, rail evacuates much of the cargo so that the truckers and the road will have a run for their money. Then, the barge operation has come in no small measure, we having to barge cargo delivery, evacuation. These have helped in no small way to decongesting the port. That is why we have 20% congestion at the sea side.
“We know it is tough, we know people are complaining but please bear with us, this is the time of construction and we have to bear some things if we want things to be alright”, he said.
On the slow pace of work on the ongoing reconstruction of the Tincan-Mile 2 road, Bello stated, “We will ask the Federal Ministry of Works, this has been done, to look at the road as a special road and also facilitate quick delivery of that road. That road is central, it is essential, that road is key. So, we want the construction to be fast tracked and we will make adequate presentation to that effect.”
Photo: The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr. Hassan Bello.
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