The Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC) on Friday called for negotiation with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to achieve a reduction of tariffs at ports.
The call came, even as the managing director of Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA); Sanusi Lamido Ado Bayero apologised for the alleged recent attempt to increase its tariff without recourse to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the regulator.
The Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC) on Friday called for negotiation with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to achieve a reduction of tariffs at ports.
The call came, even as the managing director of Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA); Sanusi Lamido Ado Bayero apologised for the alleged recent attempt to increase its tariff without recourse to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the regulator.
Ado Bayero said that NPA had never made attempt to increase tariff, adding that the NPA did so in 2014 following complaints by terminal operators to meet their target. He apologised for not carrying the Shippers Council, adding however that NPA had not attempted increasing its tariff.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, had during his visit to the NPA headquarters in Lagos called for reduction in tariffs that had been imposed on port users by providers of services.
Calling for dialogue, Bello said the negotiation would involve dialogue and constant meetings with the NPA to handle issues relating to tariff increase at the ports.
Bello also commended the NPA for the introduction of e-payment which, according to him, has improved maritime services, adding that e-payment was in line with international standard.
He also commended the dredging of the ports’ channels, saying “Constant dredging of Nigerian waters has enabled the bigger vessel to visit our ports
"There is capital improvement on dredging of channels which indicate that the maritime service is moving gradually to be the hub in West Africa".
"NPA should consider multiple access roads why contracting access roads lead to Lekki Deep seaport, so that the constant gridlock happening in Apapa/Tin-Can to persist at Lekki”, he advised, even as he urged NPA to look into expansion of port access and the road linking to various terminals and the quay apron in the terminal.
Bello said that the continuous gridlock on the access road had affected efficiency at the ports, adding that NSC was interested reduction on cost of during business at parts.
In his response the Managing Director of NPA, pledged to support the NSC to ensure that Nigerian maritime industry flourishes.
"We engage in constant channels and dredging of our waters to extract bigger vessel into the country.
“We have been engaging our officials in all the ports to make sure that we fulfill the council request on offices at all port, he told his guest.
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