He however decried indiscriminate erection of structures in the ports’ area without obtaining any permission from the NPA.
The NSC boss however blamed lack of planning as the major reason there is chaos in the axis.
“For example, Apapa should be owned by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); all of it even a kiosk that you put in Apapa, you have to acquire a permission from the NPA, but it is not what is happening now. What we have is lack of planning, but I think we have a port plan and we are taking it seriously to address all these challenges”, he assured.
He reiterated that as the population and cargo throughput increases, there is need for the space to be opened up.
“We have a vibrant middle class and so we should have predicted that and the we have the same model of evacuation; it is not possible. The population is growing, the cargo throughput is growing and so you need to open up. The planning is for everybody, we must plan, the port authority must plan, city must also plan”
Also speaking on ease of doing business in the ports, he said that the management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have been able to reduce the number of checkpoints they have on the road to allow free flow of cargoes.
“Customs have reduced multiple check points, that is what we have been able to put on place”
“I am obviously in touch with Customs high command and this has been reduced substantially so that we have flow of cargo, he concluded.
The Captioned Photo: The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers; Council (NSC), Barrister Hassan Bello