the executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council , Barr. Hassan Bello, faulted the description of Nigerian waters as unsafe by the international community. Bello also outlined efforts by the federal government to ensure intermodal connectivity.We are developing the freight rate to know what it will cost from Lagos to Kano.
So, how can they be a hub? Also Nigerian ports are becoming efficient by the day and we are attracting cargoes from other neighbouring ports. The moment we get our infrastructure right and get our connectivity right, patronise our eastern port and also tackle insecurity on the waterways, then that’s where we see the real hub.
From our interactions with them, they said they are not aware and anybody who has been charged should show proof. We need to educate the shippers more on this. There is a coordinated, well thought out plans between Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the navy and if you look at their collaboration you will know that we have a safe water but those who peddle propaganda will want to brand our waters unsafe so that they can put surcharges.
Multiple registrations do not make for ease of doing business. We are aware of that. The law of Nigerian Shippers’ Council mandates us to register stakeholders on the basis of knowing your customers. The idea is to streamline the operators at the ports. In this era, information is king.
The national fleet, I have said to all of you, is not something we should hurry. This is a three – year project for us to have sustainable fleet. We have had occasions in our committee where we could have gotten three ships and say this is the national fleet and then, they will crash in two months. But we are not going to do that.
The national fleet is not only going to be for dry cargo, we are venturing into wet cargo and NNPC is now a member of the national fleet. The shipping company of NNPC is also part of the national fleet where we want the terms of carriage to be changed from Free on Board to Cost Insurance Freight . So this is what we are doing and NNPC has responded very positively. It is a lot of work to have a national fleet.