Aare Sani Shittu (Vice Chair, BoT ANLCA)
Aare Sani Shittu (Vice Chair, BoT ANLCA)
Most of the issues concerning our ports are not being properly visited as a result of the inability to properly execute policies, implementation is the major problem we are having, but in this particular case of the inland container depots, government has projected it and the expectation now remains with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to ensure its implementation, and I am sure the present management are going about it to ensure that they deliver results, this I can assure you. The problem we have always had is that the maritime industry in Nigeria is not taken seriously, but we all know that all over the world it is a money-spinning venture, but because we are not investing on it, this is the result of the effect we are having now.
Barrister Fred Akhokia (Vice President, NAGAFF)
When the policy of building Inland Container Depots (ICDs) was muted by government, there wasn’t an in-depth analysis of the challenges they might have, don’t forget that you will feed these ICD’s from the ports and the roads are very bad, the rail system was in comatose, but now that the rail system is picking up, the government has just said that the western railway corridor from Lagos to Kano has been rehabilitated and they are saying that before the end of this year, the one from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri would have been rehabilitated, so it would become a little bit easier to move containers from the port to the inland depots. I believe this could have informed the idea of not picking pace with the project, but now that the necessary infrastructures are being put in place, containers can move to these inland depots. Don’t forget that the dredging of the River Niger again is going to be of great help in this regard because you can put containers on badges and move them to ICDs, it is not that government is not committed to the project, but the fact is that they had some challenges that they wanted to deal with first, it is the right step in the right direction.
Mr Lucky Amiwero (C.EO, Eyis Resources Limited)
The problem is that, the ICDs in Nigeria are political ICDs, when they started this project I told them that inland container depot is just a depot, we also have freight stations, off-dock terminals and so on, these facilities are there for specific functions, you cannot operate an ICD without having a link to the wet port, there are procedures, process and logistic issues involved, there is no law that gives the Shippers’ Council or NPA the powers to operate ICD, it can only operate under the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) they must be controlled by Customs, it is not a dry port or an off-dock terminal, this is why I said that ICDs in Nigeria are political ICDs because it is not legal, the NPA and the Shippers’ Council do not have the law backing them to operate it.
Mr Bolade Oladipo (Asst. Nat. Sec, ANLCA)
I believe the reason for the development of Inland Container Depots (ICD) is to decongest the ports and to ensure that cargoes gets to their owners at different parts of the country, it’s a good project, but don’t forget that the terminal operators are there, they have concession agreements with government and they are looking forward to making maximum profits, coupled with the fact that the level of importation has dropped recently, they will not want the project to take-off because they do not have enough to handle at their terminal, not to talk of transferring to ICDs. If you establish ICDs, definitely you are going to transfer cargoes there either by rail or by water, where will you get the cargo? There is a lot of politics being played to ensure that the project does not see the light of day, what the government ought to do is to make a law that will guide the development and operation of these ICD’s.
David Pius (Freight Forwarder)
What I think can be done to ensure a smooth take-off of the Inland Container Depot also known as dry ports across the country is that government should not shy away from their responsibility and one of their primary responsibility is to ensure that there are good roads leading to the ICDs and if the roads are in top shape, there is also the need to dualise it as well. This in turn will bring about smooth operation and effective ICD that has been abandoned for decades. It is important for the government to invest in road infrastructures and again it is important to note that roads will be accompanied with adequate security, because the movement of the containers to the dry ports in other parts of country need maximum security whereby the driver ,the goods and bus conductors are safe from robbers and government can put that in place to enable the ICDs work.
Frank Ailakor (ANLCA Member)
For the ICD to be effective , the rail routes leading to the various states where they are located has to be in good shape because rail can convey a large number of the containers to their respective destinations. But if such things are not in place, I don t think it will work. Conveying goods to the dry ports through the roads is not ideal to me because in the past the railways played a pivotal role, but this time around if those infrastructures are not in place it will definitely hamper smooth take-off of the dry ports scattered all over the country. As it is, Apapa port is the only port in Lagos with such infrastructure which is uncompleted, then government should look at providing rail line at Tin Can port to link Apapa then out to the various ICD and with that it will be easier for the dry ports to take-off successfully.
Barrister Osuala Nwagbara (Maritime Lawyer)
First of all we must appreciate the problem of the ICDs and we are aware that dry ports are scattered all over the country, thus we have to contend with the issue of security in some part of the country, we have to contend with infrastructure problems in some area of the country and also looking at the problem itself. ICD is not for just processing of export goods because it’s a two way thing. I must say that we have not got it right yet and when you look at the off-dock terminal in Lagos ,they are not functional like before and however we do not have the right policies in place that can guarantee investments .No investor is will like to waste his funds in a future that is not certain, so we need to look at the arrangement again to put in place policies that will guarantee return on investments by way of stabilising whatever policy or direction that the government has taken. The roads also have to be in good shape so that goods can be moved to the ICD without bottleneck on the roads.
Frank Anosike (Transporter)
For the ICDs to kick-off effectively I think the rail system must be optimally utilized in ensuring effectively movement of the goods to the dry ports from the seaports .ICDs have not been utilised because of this major reason. Then there is also the need to look into the area of infrastructures at the various dry ports in the country because if there are no facilities on ground there is no way it can thrive.
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