President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarding (NAGAFF), Mr Eugene Nweke, last week commended President Goodluck Jonathan for effective implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code.
Nweke made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that the implementation of the code would make Nigeria’s waters safe for international trade.
President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarding (NAGAFF), Mr Eugene Nweke, last week commended President Goodluck Jonathan for effective implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code.
Nweke made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that the implementation of the code would make Nigeria’s waters safe for international trade.
He said that Nigeria, being part of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), had been on the ISPS security chain since 2004.
“I think, what the international community is trying to say, we should upgrade and ensure that there are no lapses and Mr President had given directive.
“So is a security issue, is everybody’s business. Today we are in a world where terrorism has become an order of the day. Security threat is all over the place.
“So, any well-meaning proactive reasonable government will take security issue serious and Nigeria is not exempted.
“Our president is not compromising security, so to me, Nigeria is on course, we are there.
“As far as I am concerned as a stakeholder, every port in Nigeria is on course as far as ISPS code is concerned, so, it is not a case of non- compliance.“
Nweke said that compliance with ISPS code by the indigenous shipping companies had been beneficial to the nation’s economy.
“The benefit to the nation, one is assurance by international shipping communities that Nigeria is safe for international trade shipping activities.
“It builds the image of the nation. It attracts more patronage vessel call to our port environment.
“ So if for instance is being declared that Nigerian ports are not safe, our waters are not safe, that is a very bad signal to send out there.
“So, it is something that Mr President would not treat with levity. He is attending to it with every commitment of purpose because he appreciates the much of security.“
Nweke said that compliance with the ISPS code was a process, saying that Nigeria would manage it within its terrain and peculiarities.
He said that Nigeria’s compliance attitude had gone beyond 80 per cent, adding that this was a good indicator for Nigeria’s maritime industry.
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