Chief Eugene Nweke (NAGAFF President)
Chief Eugene Nweke (NAGAFF President)
It cannot be a white elephant project because the Nigeria Shippers’ Council saw the vision of the importance of the ICDs because it appears to be of strategic importance. The council knows quite alright that shipping business has graduated from sea ports operations only, but with cargo movement to the destination through a resident agent across the federation. Importation of goods by the ship does not end in the port, that is why the idea of ICD came up and some of the goods that come to the port are meant for Onitsha and Kano etc. The NSC is only trying to reduce pressure off the seaports; that is why the ICDs are in the offing, however it is still viable even though it will take a while.
Dr Zebulon Ikokhide (NIFFCB)
If the traffic is high as regards the demand and nature of movement of cargoes to the proposed ICDs all over, then we will say it is viable, but when the traffic is low and we are still interested to setup the ICDs then it will be perceived as being a white elephant project. We need to know the statistics from the Shippers’ Council to determine whether ICDs are viable or not. However we need the government to give us their own side of the story as regard the delay of the ICDs.
Festus Ukwu (NCMDLCA)
It would have been a very viable project if we have good roads and rail system in place that will transport containers from the ports to the various ICD, but I believe that lack of infrastructures are the reasons it appears as if it’s a white elephant project. However it is a colossal waste transporting consignment to the port to the hinterland by trucks but we still want to believe that the project is viable
Bolade Oladipo (ANLCA member)
Most of these issues are more political than we imagine, I know that if well harnessed, the ICD development in Nigeria is a very good project but before it can work, you need to have a proper means of transportation including the rail system in the port, everything must be in order before we can talk of ICD, the one in Jos might have been destroyed because there was no goods coming there yet, it’s like a deserted place, and once you are not using any of the ICD, it is the responsibility of the state to look at it and use it for other things. For the project to work, let government improve the transportation sector and the rail.
Dr. Frank Ukoh (President, AREFFN)
Building of ICD will be very viable in the future, but for now it will be difficult because it will be counter-productive. I say it is economically not viable because you will have to transport the containers from the ports to the inland depots, especially those going to the North, check the distance and how much it will cost, if the rail system had been completed and operational, it would have been very easy for the containers to be taken to the inland containers, but as it is now, the cost of transporting cargoes by road to the ICDs is very high, by the time you finish the clearing process the goods will be expensive. I will advise the government to concentrate on making the rail lines functional before going into ICD projects. While government is busy doing this, the concessionaires should develop the site so that they can be ready for business once the rail is completed.
Chief Vickel Onyekuru (Freight Forwarder)
The Inland Container Depot is a very good venture because it will ease the traffic congestion we have in the Lagos area, this will further encourage those who wants to invest in Lagos or Port Harcourt. For the ICD project to be more viable however, maximum security needs to be put in place so as to achieve a better result when the project is finally in operation, because as it is now, the main problem is how do we assure the safety of the containers? Take for example, the bad roads and the security situation in the country; these are major problems that need proper attention. The Inland Container Depot project is a very nice project and I must commend the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for bringing this project.
Mazi Ukaegbu Paul (Chair, Igbo Maritime Forum, PTML Chapter)
I believe every project is a valuable project, but it all depends on those who are pushing the project, but when the project is now being used for something else, then you know there is a problem. One thing I must say is that before anyone establishes a project he or she should know that it is going to hold a positive end.
BC. Nwachukwu (Freight Forwarder)
The Inland Container Depot projects by the Nigerian Shippers’ Councils are not being recognized because they are based on carrying only containers which are being transferred when they get to the port, also, since they are not yet approved by the federal government because of some bad roads across the country and due to the site of the projects which do not have physical structures on ground yet, I believe these are part of the major problems the project is facing right now. But in the long run, the project is going to help reduce the challenges associated with our port system today.
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