THE Chairman of Ports Consultative Council (PCC), Kunle Folarin,
has advocated the expansion of the Nigerian Shippers Council’s mandate,
because of its vital role in trade facilitation with Nigeria’s trading
partners.
Folarin, who led the PCC members on a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Shippers Council at the weekend, therefore, urged it to work closely with the National Assembly to ensure the expansion of its 25 years old mandate in order to enhance its ability as the “conscience of the nation in international trade”.
Explaining the reason for the group’s visit to the council, he said: “ We are here to celebrate one of our own, Hassan Bello. We have long seen him as an emerging leader of the council which has a crop of professionals than any of the maritime agencies in the country.”
He said that the PCC in its informal sense was as old as the port industry, adding that its history was coterminous with that of the ports. “At the early stage, the council started as operational problem solving body, consisting mainly of Nigerian Ports Authority and few existing shipping companies at the time. All operational problems at the ports, especially Lagos ports, were tabled and resolved at the periodic meetings of the council,” he said, as he explained the functions of the body which membership had since been extended to other government agencies and the private sector.
On the role of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Folarin said: “We also take note that the shippers Council has been a big player in all areas of trade facilitation in the West African sub-region and in the African continent. It has been collaborating with many organisations and stakeholders on several projects, including the Single Window Project, Inland Container Deport, Cargo defence, amongst others.”
The acting Executive Secretary of the council, Hassan Bello, told the visiting PCC members that his council’s mandate extended beyond the port to include rail and other modes of transportation.
“The saying that the Nigerian Shippers Council is the conscience of the nation in the international shipping is correct, because we are the police, the Ombudsman,” he said.
According to Bell, the council was already working hard to ensure that its enabling Act was amended. “We are not seeking to be intrusive regulator. Want to be the empire that is unbiased. We have been dealing with complaints from users and providers of services at the ports. The cumbersome clearing procedure at the ports today is as a result of wrong declaration by shippers and that is leading to various congestions we are having today,” he said.
Folarin, who led the PCC members on a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Shippers Council at the weekend, therefore, urged it to work closely with the National Assembly to ensure the expansion of its 25 years old mandate in order to enhance its ability as the “conscience of the nation in international trade”.
Explaining the reason for the group’s visit to the council, he said: “ We are here to celebrate one of our own, Hassan Bello. We have long seen him as an emerging leader of the council which has a crop of professionals than any of the maritime agencies in the country.”
He said that the PCC in its informal sense was as old as the port industry, adding that its history was coterminous with that of the ports. “At the early stage, the council started as operational problem solving body, consisting mainly of Nigerian Ports Authority and few existing shipping companies at the time. All operational problems at the ports, especially Lagos ports, were tabled and resolved at the periodic meetings of the council,” he said, as he explained the functions of the body which membership had since been extended to other government agencies and the private sector.
On the role of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Folarin said: “We also take note that the shippers Council has been a big player in all areas of trade facilitation in the West African sub-region and in the African continent. It has been collaborating with many organisations and stakeholders on several projects, including the Single Window Project, Inland Container Deport, Cargo defence, amongst others.”
The acting Executive Secretary of the council, Hassan Bello, told the visiting PCC members that his council’s mandate extended beyond the port to include rail and other modes of transportation.
“The saying that the Nigerian Shippers Council is the conscience of the nation in the international shipping is correct, because we are the police, the Ombudsman,” he said.
According to Bell, the council was already working hard to ensure that its enabling Act was amended. “We are not seeking to be intrusive regulator. Want to be the empire that is unbiased. We have been dealing with complaints from users and providers of services at the ports. The cumbersome clearing procedure at the ports today is as a result of wrong declaration by shippers and that is leading to various congestions we are having today,” he said.
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