The numerous accolades and attestations conferred on Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC) by various organizations allude to the general perception that the Council is a change agent.
Last year, when the World Bank officials visited the Council headquarters at Apapa, they were astonished by the outstanding road map/service developed by the Council to make the ports not only user friendly but also competitive.
Again, last year while visiting the Council in Lagos, the Sierra Leonean Minister of Transport strongly requested the Hassan Bello- led management to not only come and establish a Shippers’ Council for their country but to replicate what they have in Nigeria. These are some of the testimonials that portray NSC as a global brand.
Furthermore, last week, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the umbrella body of manufacturers in Nigeria visited the Council on a fact finding mission. The meeting was led by Chief John Aluya a council member and the Director General of MAN, Mr. Segun Ajayi Kadiri. With what they saw, Chief Aluya stated…”this is a Government Agency that is distinct from others through creative thinking, a development- oriented Council filled with thinking professionals who are desirous of effecting change by creating jobs, wealth, infrastructural development, competitive environment thereby making our tomorrow to be safe”.
Nigerian Shippers’ Council is an agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Transportation was created in 1978 by Decree 13, now the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act Cap N133 LFN 2004.
Its creation was sequel to 1968 UNCTAD recommendation urging member countries to establish shippers’ council in their country. Its initial policy implementation and fundamental objective was to promote the interest of shippers’ but with dynamic nature of global trade, that fundamental objective was reviewed to accommodate growing concerns.
In February 2014, 8 years after port concession in 2006, the Council was pronounced as Port Economic Regulator. The gazette spelling out its functions and responsibilities as Port Economic Regulator came out in No. 34 Vol 102 Government Notice No. 40 page B 177-122 of March 27, 2015.
The objectives of the order stated interalia to regulate tariffs rates, charges and other related economic services in Nigeria Ports and to monitor all matters relating to the cost, standard and quality of services rendered by the regulated service providers.
Ports play a very strategic role in facilitating world trade. Infact, they are the main international gateways for a country’s import and export trade. It is estimated that 90 percent by volume and 80 percent by value of world international trade in merchandise is routed through ports.
Welcoming MAN to the Corporate Headquarters of the Council, the Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council Hassan Bello while presenting ‘facts behind figures’ noted that the Council has been providing insights of considerable value that touch on port operations. We have a rapidly changing global business environment hence we must attune our operations to the changing dynamics so as to catch up with global trends.
Bello noted that the primary objective of the Council in the maritime sector is to be open, independent, neutral, and consultative while all decisions will be based on the buy in of all stakeholders.
In our template to make the ports and its environment friendly, an inter-ministerial committee developed the first ever Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and Port Service Support Portal (PSSP) which is the soul and road map to the New Port Order. In this template is transparency and efficiency. It strengthens the Complaint and Arbitration Mechanisms, reduction in cargo dwell time while investing heavily on automation within the port value chain. The roadmap apart from reducing cost of doing business at the ports, also enthrones efficiency thereby attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) while promoting global linkages.
Bello furthered emphasised that in the Council’s drive to facilitate trade, about six Inland Container Depots (ICDs) and freight stations have been given approval by the Federal Government to commence as Dry Ports. Already, Kaduna Inland Container Depot is now a Port of Destination and Port of Origin while enormous construction work is ongoing in Heipang, Jos and Isiala Ngwa, Abia Dry Ports. Also, work will soon commence on the proposed Truck Transit Park (TTP) in Lokoja, Kogi State and in Ogbulafor in Enugu State.
The Executive Secretary revealed that those Public Private Partnership (PPP) Projects facilitated by the Council are not only to improve our infrastructural development, it is geared towards creating job opportunities, reflating the economy, unbundling the agricultural potentials in the rural areas so as to align the economy into what is obtained in other climes. The Border Information Centre (BIC) currently situated at Seme border will go a long way to aid manufacturers, importers, exporters and government agencies especially National Bureau of Statistics to have proper grasp of market behaviours.
“As regulators, we have not come to stifle the enormous potentials and opportunities in the maritime sector, neither are we there to ‘snuff’ life out of the terminal operators or logistics providers, they are our partners hence their survival and growth is our utmost concern. Once that sector is vibrant and performing at optimum level, the economy will grow while manufacturers, importers and exporters of raw and semi processed materials will witness growth”, Bello added.
In his response, the Director-General of MAN Mr Kadiri was highly elated on the tremendous achievements of Nigerian Shippers’ Council within the short period it has operated as Port Economic Regulator. The Council has by its various intervening advocacy engagements and services created a national identity that bestrides the shores of Nigeria as the Council is now a Reference Point.
The Director General while enumerating the challenges facing manufacturers in Nigeria posited that their visit is to share ideas with development oriented agency that has changed the business landscape in Nigeria.
“Development is a collaborative effort and that is why every strategic agency in the value chain must be involved in the elaborate thought process. We must, therefore, advocate that those laws or regulations that impinge on our economic growth or hindering foreign investment in our country must be addressed and this is why we are identifying with Nigerian Shippers’ Council, a forward looking agency and a change agent”, Kadiri stated.
In his remarks, the leader of the team Chief John Aluya who represented MAN President Dr. Frank Jacobs Udemba said that port cost is a very integral and important component of total transport cost. As manufacturers, transport is crucial in our business either before the products are manufactured or after production. The products have to be delivered to the end users as this also comes with a cost.
Our visit is to encourage the Council to do more in bringing a more user friendly port operations in terms of rate, tariffs and cargo dwell time.
He noted that even when we kicked against the re-introduction of ICTN, your robust intervention and approach doused tension and as at today members are beginning to appreciate your work ethic and principle which is basically to improve performance and productivity.
“We assure you of a more robust engagement and because of the Councils contribution to the economy, MAN has decided to engage the Council as its “Strategic Partner”, Aluya added.