The Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS) is pushing for state shippers’associations to unite and form a single body to be known as Federation of Nigerian Shippers’ Association (FONSA).
The President of SALS, Mr Jonathan Nicol, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
Nicol expressed concern that shippers, both importers and exporters, had for a long time been fragmented, adding that their merger would enhance trade and facilitate viable decisions.
The Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS) is pushing for state shippers’associations to unite and form a single body to be known as Federation of Nigerian Shippers’ Association (FONSA).
The President of SALS, Mr Jonathan Nicol, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
Nicol expressed concern that shippers, both importers and exporters, had for a long time been fragmented, adding that their merger would enhance trade and facilitate viable decisions.
“Shippers Association Lagos State has taken the bull by the horn. Initially, all shippers in their various capacities try to solve their own problems.
“So they were badly segmented but now the concept is that all shippers should come together.
“We have the very active associations in Lagos, partly in Port Harcourt, but the Warri chapter is not active and we need all of them to form the assembly and they call it FONSA, Federation of Nigerian Shippers’ Association.
“So, until we have very active associations across the country, it will be difficult for all the shippers associations to speak with one voice because they are not very active.“
He, however, urged the Federal Government to amend the shipping policy to enable the Port-Harcourt, Warri, and Calabar ports to be utilised effectively.
Nicol pleaded with the Federal Government to offer financial assistance to shippers’ associations saying that it would enable the shippers to extend their business frontiers to other ports and reduce cargo traffic at the Lagos ports.
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