Shippers’ Council Tasks NASAN To Participate Fully On AfCFTA Benefits

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’Council,Barr. Hassan Bello has tasked the newly elected executives of National  Shippers Association of Nigeria (NASAN) to ensure  members participation in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement in furtherance for them to benefit from import and export trade businesses.

 

Bello disclosed this during his remarks on Tuesday,  in Lagos at the just concluded election and imagination of NASAN .

 

The Executive Secretary of the Council,  said that export cargoes still suffer 20-days and 24-days delay before gaining access into the port, while imported cargoes suffer 21-days cargo dwell time at the port.

 

He called on the shippers national body to carry out aggressive enlightenment exercises for members to tap in and explore the world of trade.

 

“NASAN should ensure its members participate actively in the new established AfCFTA to ensure that members benefit optimally in all relevant sectors of the regime.

 

“It is therefore important that you engage your members in sensitisation and enlightenment exercises to improve knowledge capacity on shipping across  borders, access to funds and other areas that will enhance the practice of import and export business.

 

 

He said that in other neighbouring ports, cargoes spend just 7 days dwell time at the port.

 

 

 

He assured that the Council is already in talks with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the need for Nigerian Shippers to have access to finance, information and connections on the international market.

 

Speaking, he said “There are many shippers who are exporting now, and one of the problems is access to the port, we have cargoes that spend 20-days and 24days before they gain access into the port, we have struggled so much to ensure that this is not done”

 

“We need exporters who are Shippers to also have free access to the port, they should have access to information about the market, they should also have access to finance”

 

“The same situation is with importers, there are issues at the port, cargoes have 21-days dwell time, meanwhile it is 7-days at our competing neighboring ports”

 

 

 

 

Bello also assured the shippers that the economic port regulator would  support and partner with association from all ramifications.

 

 

By Roland Ekama