By Ignatius Ushie
The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has said that the ministry would support the Nigerian Shipper’s Council (NSC) in ensuring compliance, implementation and enforcement of the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM) to reduce corruption in the maritime sector.
According to a statement signed by Taiye Elebiyo Edeni, Media Aide to the Minister of Transportation, Amaechi said this during the stakeholders meeting organised by Nigerian Shipper’s Council held in Abuja.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government upon recommendation of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, had in December 2020 appointed the Nigerian Shipper’s Council as the lead agency in the implementation of Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM).
According to him, the Process Manual on Port Operations is expected to be one of the key indicators for the effective implementation of Executive Order 1 issued in 2017, aimed at promoting transparency and efficiency in the business environment, adding that the successful implementation of the NPPM, would complement the modernisation of critical transport infrastructure being driven by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through rail and port.
“The maritime sector offers the best alternative for economic diversification as it has the potential for employment, investments, and as an outlet for the facilitation and strengthening of Nigeria’s international trade.
“Nigeria’s Shippers Council (NSC) is to drive the process and implementation of the Process Manual; however, I urge Regulatory Authorities, operational agencies, service providers, users of shipping services and other stakeholders to support and comply with government’s extant directives and the provisions of the NPPM.
“The NSC being the lead agency for the implementation of the Manual, shall coordinate the implementation of the Manual and ensure strict compliance with the rules. NSC also reserves the right to handout sanctions to any agency, service providers and users of shipping services for noncompliance as provided under its economic regulatory mandate.
“The Ministry shall lend its support to the NSC in ensuring compliance with the Manual by all stakeholders, not only in the implementation of the Manual but in other areas such as enforcement. ”
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of NSC, Barr. Hassan Bello said the sensitization meeting is aimed at securing the support and collaboration of regulatory agencies, service providers and users of port services.
“The NSC does not see the appointment as conferring any superiority over other regulatory agencies or stakeholders but consider it as an act of service towards achieving government desire of eradicating corruption at the port in order to promote ease of doing business in the transportation industry in Nigeria”, Bello said.
