Newly-appointed Chairman of the Nigerian Shipper’s Council (NSC) Governing Council, Lt-Gen. Salihu Ibrahim (rtd), has pledged to tackle the challenges confronting the NSC with a view to ensuring that it executes its mandate of protecting the interest of Nigerian shippers.
Ibrahim gave the assurance yesterday in an address at the inaugural meeting of the Governing Council held at the NSC Shippers’ Towers headquarters at Apapa, Lagos.
He said that the aspiration of the incumbent NSC Governing Council was to leave a worthy and uncommon legacy, which past members according to him, have been unable to achieve.
While thanking President Goodluck Jonathan for the confidence reposed in him and other members of the NSC Governing Council, the Chairman pledged on behalf of his colleagues to work assiduously with all relevant agencies, including the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to achieve the fundamental objectives of the NSC.
“The Board is here to tackle all the challenges that confront the Nigerian Shipper’s Council. To that extent, we shall explore all avenues and possibilities to solve most of the problems, if not all on behalf of the Council. With the wealth of experience and dedicated support from the Chief Executive Officer of Shippers Council and his team, I have no doubt that we shall carry the Council to the next height, whereby the interest of the Nigerian importers and exporters shall be adequately protected. In doing this, the Council shall collaborate and partner with relevant agencies,” Ibrahim said.
He added that the clamour to appoint the NSC as a commercial regulator of the ports will be looked into, noting that it will soon be presented before the National Assembly.
Earlier in his address, the NSC Executive Secretary, Mr. Hassan Bello, said that the appointment of the Governing Council was timely, noting that it will apply its wealth of experience in ensuring a successful restructuring of the legal and institutional framework of the NSC.
Bello noted that due to the weakness of the NSC’s enabling act, it has been constrainted to play mainly advisory roles in the industry.
However, he assured that, with the inauguration of the Governing Council, the NSC will further be strengthened to discharge its duties more effectively.
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