To enable it execute its new mandate of serving as unbiased umpire at the port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has secured the commitment of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to allocate office space to its workers inside the port.
Managing Director of NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, gave this assurance yesterday when he received the Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barr. Hassan Bello, in his office.
Abdullahi directed NPA’s Executive Director, Engineering and Technical Service, Engr. Muhammed Saleh, to immediately make office spaces available in all the seaports to the new port economic regulator.
“Without your staff being on ground, they may not get the right information about things happening in the ports because we cannot expect you to work without getting an office to monitor,” the NPA boss told his guest even as he assured the NSC of further support, details of which he did not disclose.
“The advice I will give you is that you know when something comes out new, people will look at it with caution. I advise you go about it quietly and effectively so that anyone that has doubt will have a rethink.
“Don’t go beyond your mandate; do things considerably. You know what you are asked to do please do it with caution,” he advised.
Executive Secretary of the NSC, Barr. Hassan Bello, commended the support of the NPA management for supporting his Council through the years.
“The idea is to take up the economic regulator responsibility so that NPA will face its technical regulatory functions which are fundamental as far as port service is concerned,” he said.
He also said the Council has also been given the mandate government to professionalise the freight forwarding industry.
“We also have the problems of the multitude of freight forwarders and we have the mandate of professionalising the industry because they are more like touts. They are supposed to be the one that negotiate freight but their present situation put them at a disadvantage,” he said.
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