The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has renewed its commitment to the early take-off of inland container depots across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Chief Public Relations Officer of the council, Mr Moses Abere,gave the assurance at the on-going Enugu International Trade Fair.
He said that the depots would boost the country’s economic activities and revenue profile, as well as facilitate international trade.
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council has renewed its commitment to the early take-off of inland container depots across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Chief Public Relations Officer of the council, Mr Moses Abere,gave the assurance at the on-going Enugu International Trade Fair.
He said that the depots would boost the country’s economic activities and revenue profile, as well as facilitate international trade.
Abere explained that the inland container depots, which were a flagship project of the council, would perform similar functions as the seaports.
“One of the reasons why they have not taken off is that we are waiting for government to declare them as ports of destination.
“By this declaration, the inland depots will be the final place where owners of goods will clear them.
“It means you can be anywhere in the world and send your goods where they will be cleared in Nigeria.
“As a shipper in Kano, for example, you will no longer need to go to Lagos to clear your goods, but will send them direct to Kano," he said.
He said that the depots had already been designated “waiting for completion''.
“Some of the depots are at various stages of completion, but the one in Ibadan is the most advanced in terms of completion," he said.
Abere said that one of the benefits of the depots was to bring port activities closer to people in the hinterland as well as to decongest the conventional sea ports.
“With the introduction of the inland containers, the sea ports will be decongested and this will reduce general cost of imported goods in Nigeria," he said.
He said that the gesture would enthrone a more conducive import-export environment.
He commended the Federal Government for facilitating efficient shipping activities in the country.
Abere said that the council was recently entrusted with the mandate of regulating economic activities in the sea ports.
He said that by this move, the government had set the tone to sanitise shipping business in the country.
“Before now we only mediate during crisis between a shipper and may be a shipping company, but we now have the power to sanction.
“The Nigerian shipper is now better positioned to experience shipping business because with this intervention any erring shipping company will be sanctioned," Abere said.
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