Fano Bond Terminal Seeks Government Intervention To Fix Major Roads Across Nigeria
Worried about setbacks faced due to the deplorable condition of the highways linking the seaports and other major routes connected to the hinterlands, foremost off dock operator, Fano Shipping Agencies Limited owners of Fano Bonded Terminal has called on government of all levels to immediately fix all major roads across the country for businesses to thrive.
Group Chairman, Fano Shipping Agencies Limited , Chief Damian Emeka Obianigwe made the plea on Wednesday during a brief award ceremony in Lagos, put together by Ambassador of the National Anti – Corruption Coalition Advocate and United Nations Ambassador On Anti-Corruption ; Independent Corruption and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and Independent Producer , PortBizness on Radio One 103.5fm respectively.
Obianigwe reiterated that the deplorable condition of the roads linking the Lagos seaports need urgent attention to encourage trade facilitation adding that the indiscriminate parking of trucks along the corridors was an eyesore to the international communities.
Speaking on the e-call up system for trucks, recently introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) , the terminal operator’s boss lamented that the system has failed to meet the desired objectives pointing out that the bad roads pose serious danger to the nation’s economy.
He said”As a Nigerian and as a businessman in terminal operations,I cannot allow the poor port system to consume my investment.
“We will continue to manage the roads but it is unfortunate that our infrastructural decay is telling on our business negatively.
“The bad roads is rubbing on our business and we have been complaining but nobody is responding to our yearnings.
“The major problem we have in Nigeria is the state of our roads. The vehicles we have on our roads are more that the roads and the roads are not motorable, therefore government should have a rethink on how revamp other modes of transportation.
Speaking on the moves by the National Inland Waterways Authority ( NIWA) to convey containers to Onitsha river port through barges from Lagos State, Obianigwe lauded the innovation, saying it would reduce the pressure of consignments of the roads.
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He noted that the movement of containers through barges to the eastern ports would further reduced the cost of doing business in the maritime sector.
While speaking on the multiple awards, he stressed that transparent and accountability was the watchword of the terminal operator pointing the award would also challenge the business mogul to work assiduously to remain the number off dock operator in Nigeria.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of award to the recipients of the terminal, namely the chief executive and a female Terminal Manager of the facility ,Mrs Orieh Princess Akuabata by the National Anti – Corruption Coalition Advocate and United Nations Ambassador On Anti-Corruption and Independent Producer , PortBizness on Radio One Fm 103.5fm.
On her part, Mrs Orieh lamented that bonded terminal operators were not carried along in the test running the e-call up system, but added that the innovation by management of NPA has good intentions and motives.
She stated that enlightenment from the NPA before the flag off on the stakeholders would have eradicate the teething problem in the initial stages.
She also appreciate the various groups for the awards noting that transparency and accountability brought about the laurels and achievements.
“The award took us unaware but I know that our terminal deserves this awards “,Orieh stressed.
Earlier, Ike Johnson, UN Ambassador, National Anti – Corruption Coalition Advocate and United Nations On Anti-Corruption and Independent ,Mr. Ike Johnson described Fano Bonded Terminal as the best in the area of transparency and accountability.
He said five other terminals were inspected thus the need to honour those worthy of emulation and Fano Bonded Terminal stands out from others.
By Roland Ekama
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