Lagos shippers association seeks new port order, says President
Rev. Jonathan Nicole, President, Shippers Association of Lagos (SAL), has said that the body was seeking a new port order to ensure more channels for the evacuation of cargo that would solve trade problems in a seamless and efficient manner.
Nicole said this in Lagos on Sunday.
He disclosed that SAL had resolved to support and partner with the newly appointed Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Executive Secretary, Mr Emmanuel-Lyambee Jime, with the hope that he would join in the shippers’ crusade for a new port order.
Nicole noted that the inauguration of the National Shippers Association of Nigeria had coincided with the appointment of the new Chief Executive of the NSC, and SAL would offer their unflinching support and cooperation to the new officers to bring forth a new dawn in the maritime sector through a new port order.
He assured that SAL would also endeavour to bring about peaceful co-existence in the maritime sector, through dialogue together with the national body as laid down by the NSC.
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To achieve the new port order, the SAL president said there was the need to ensure that all the bottlenecks to its realisation were eliminated.
“All stakeholders should brace up for the introduction of the new port order, through collective bargaining, as this will ensure more channels for the evacuation of cargo within our river boundaries.
“The Nigeria Customs Service will be engaged constructively to reduce the harsh conditions on shippers and their cargo on the highways and within and around the ports.
“The Shippers Association Lagos State will bring all authorised stakeholders to contribute their quota, through collective bargaining to achieve these goals.
“There will be foreseeable peace and progress in our trade platforms and so we will support the new executive secretary of the NSC so that he joins us in this crusade,” he said.
Nicole said that SAL would also achieve the new port order through its total support for the new shippers council executive secretary as this was paramount, adding that the quest for reduction in the cost of doing business would be tackled nationally.
On Nigerian seafarers, Nicole advocated for provisions to be made by foreign ship owners to engage them regularly, including tackling any issue likely to affect their relationship.
According to him, the issue of Apapa traffic gridlock would fizzle out as there were plans to meet with the owners of cargo, the shipping community and terminal operators to resolve the ugly situation.
“All the challenges are man-made and as such it is man that will eventually solve this problems,” he said.
Nicole noted that government revenue generation would improve if such bottlenecks were eliminated and the association was poised to engage with the Nigeria Police to remove double handling of cargo, which was new and embarrassing.
“These are some of the reasons why the National Shippers Association was inaugurated with active state chapters to help in solving our trade problems,” he said.
“There will be cordial relationship with the Terminal Operators and the Shipping Lines as it used to be.
“We believe we understand ourselves better nowadays. Port charges will be tackled by all in the sector. Shippers will engage and work harmoniously with all government agencies, especially, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) who recently kicked against war Risk Insurance.
“Others are the Nigerian Ports Authority and Standards Organization of Nigeria”, he added.
