Oluwakemi Dauda
Following the pronouncement by President Muhammadu Buhari that all seaports in Lagos shall remain operational in accordance with the guidelines issued earlier, the executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr. Hassan Bello, said the seaports must be operational for the exit of cargoes especially raw materials and relief materials.
Bello, who paid an on the spot assessment visit to the Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports yesterday, said cargo should not be subjected to interstate restrictions in order to keep the economy of the nation moving amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also urged clearing agents and importers to use the opportunity of the lockdown to take delivery of cargoes from the ports and decongest the sea and the terminals.
Bello, who visited the ENL and Port and Terminal Multiservrvices Limited (PTML), said the council has provided buses for port workers to access the ports, and added that despite the lockdown, cargoes should be allowed to reach their destinations across the country.
He added: “I’m always scared about the congestion on both sides that will happen if cargo is not taken out of the port. We have terminals with 95 per cent occupancy rate. We are doing the same thing at Port Harcourt where people are not allowed to convey their goods from the port.
“We are talking to the authority to make sure cargoes are allowed to move freely. There should be movement of cargo. Cargo should not be subject to interstate restrictions. Cargo should reach his destination that is why even the airport we have cargo planes dropping. Expection has been made as far as that is concerned. We also have train running for frieght and not for passengers.”
He further stated that port is the nation’s heritage even though Nigeria as a country is presently constrained.
He said Shippers Council is trying as much as possible to see that port operate because it is the nerve of the nation’s economy and for the citizens to fight the coronavirus.
He said: “We need certain essential commodities and medicine equipments and so on to move.We have sent circulars trying to see that port operations is kept or the port is moving despite the difficulties. The government has to find a balance between the safety of the people and the economy. Port also generate revenue, which is needed now.”
“In order to ensure that there is smooth operations in the port, he said Shippers Council has been transportation right now to some agents and freight forwarders so that they could come to port and transact business and those who has business to transact at the port.
His words: “I know that we are operating under some difficult situations, this is global and i know there are certain destructions in international shipping, logistics and so on especially certain contracts that are frustrated by the nature of this pandemic. And we cannot perform some of our obligations and that goes to both parties.
“We have also been talking with the commercial banks. Some of them have also opened immediately two branches in Apapa (Zenith Bank) to transact the business of assessment of duty and payment of duty, which they will start tomorrow, we are talking with other banks and they will do the same.”
Also speaking at the visit to the ENL Terminal at the Apapa port, Vice Chairman of ENL Consortium, Princess Vicky Haastrup lamented that the terminal is already full to the brim with 85 per cent yard space already occupied.
She attributed this to the fact that freight forwarders and importers were not coming forward to take delivery of their consignments.
She noted that at the moment, five vessels are waiting at berth, ready to discharge their contents.
“The freight forwarders are not coming because some of them have Customs problems. I have 5 ships at the berth and the terminal is full. We are ready to operate but the people are not coming,” she said
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Ports and Terminal Multiservices Limited, Ascanio Russo, said the company has been operational and intend to continue to be operational inline with the directives issued by Mr President.
He said: ‘’I’m very glad that the port is a critical infrastructure, which needs to be open all the time especially in a difficult times like this. There is no where in the world even the most affected countries ports and critical logistics service were never closed. So, Iam also very happy to hear and appreciate the council for the role taken to facilitate access to the ports and also for the banks to come on so that we can facilitate the payment of duties and this are very critical steps because on our own side, we are ready to work.”
According to him, there is need to acknowledge the whole world is working around the Logistics services not only Shipping agents, manufacturers or dockworkers but all the service providers including security, cleaners, drivers and they should be allowed to come to the port area.
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