Anna Okon

The Shippers Council of Niger has jettisoned a Memorandum of Understanding it entered into with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to ship transit cargo through Nigeria.

The country has instead decided to ship its cargoes through the ports of Cotonou and Ghana.

The Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, confirmed this.

He spoke in Lagos on Friday at a seminar organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Freight Forwarders Group.

He said the operators from Niger Republic found it easier moving their cargoes through Ghana and Cotonou ports than Nigeria’s.

Bello, who spoke through the Assistant Director, Enforcement and Compliance, Public Service Department, NSC, Mr Akujobi Chukwuemeka, listed time wasting, insecurity and poor customer service among the reasons why the operators refused to honour the agreement with the Nigerian agency.

He said, “If it will take them two days to clear their consignment in Cotonou while it takes them two weeks to do that in Nigeria, they will choose Cotonou.

“So they abandoned that agreement we had with them. If you go to Shippers Council, you will still see them there but they are not doing anything. “

Bello decried the poor customer service delivery in the seaports, noting that it was one of the major causes of inefficiency and the reason why most importers preferred to clear their cargoes through ports of neighbouring countries.

He blamed this on lack of automation of processes, time wasting in positioning containers and processing documents, lackluster and poor attitude of operators and government agencies to work and towards customers.

He said, “Do the ports provide good service and in a reliable manner? Is the service consistent? What of the safety of the cargoes, security of the shipment and the issues connected to documentation? How long does it take for documentation processes to be finalised in respect of clearance of cargo?

“So when we talk of customer service, these are small ingredients that will make a customer  rate  the port as  an efficient one. When all these things are not there, you cannot be talking about customer service.”

He said, effective customer relations meant that the agencies would interact in a friendly manner with customers, thus making it easy for people to obtain information while making enquiries from Customs, terminal operators and other government agencies.

In other ports, it would take a few hours to discharge oversized cargo, while in Nigeria, it would take days because the operators lacked the equipment and the customer would wait for days for them to hire equipment to operate such cargo, the NSC executive director  pointed out.

According to him,  the port charges in Nigeria are also on the high side compared to other ports.

In terms of infrastructure, most of the ports had no hinterland connection, he said, adding that it was only in Nigeria that seaports were built without rail connection, leading to gridlock.

Source: https://punchng.com/niger-republic-dumps-nigeria-opts-for-ghana-cotonou-ports/amp/

Only in this regime can something like this happen for the first time in Africa. Indeed there was a country.
God bless Nigeria

Graham!

So dem nor like Kaduna dry port then?

Otuawulaeji!

Who doesn't know Nigeria port is a mess. Nigeria port is only place where containers takes month to be clear

This is pretty sad considering Nigeria has been trying to get these guys to patronise our ports since 2013. The issues listed here are half red tape and half infrastructure. Nigeria could fix the bureaucracy with automation and tech.

The infrastructure is the rail lines they're planning to build. The still need to implement port reforms. We can't have bad service and expensive ports.

Front page: Lalasticlala

Everything that once worked is no longer working.
When the ruling party has abandoned governance to play opposition everything shuts down..

What do you expect when you have a clueless lifeless president at the helm of affairs with a bunch of incompetent ministers and advisers churning out upgrades of garbage into the "lifeless" ones ears thus encouraging the dullard to retrogress in ideas and set the country on a backward pedal. I say nomore. From now henceforth, i and my family and friends are atikulating. Time to change this "change".

So what of the billions of naira buhari has been investing in Niger republic?

It looks like it is a going to be a huge waste in the long run.

Those desert scums have joined the long line of people that have outsmarted the Nigerian president.

SMH.

Buhari's regime has been characterised by many unfavourable economic policies. just imagine Niger Republic boycotting Nigeria. That is also how Ghana locked up all Nigerian owned shops that they must have capital base of 1 million usd. We are finished with this Lifeless entity

In other ports, it would take a few hours to discharge oversized cargo, while in Nigeria, it would take days because the operators lacked the equipment and the customer would wait for days for them to hire equipment to operate such cargo, the NSC executive director  pointed out.

This is what many years of lawlessness has led us to.
Gradually, we will get there.

Sai barber.

To the mai suya above, what has your man been doing in the last 3yrs? What improvement has he made to our ports?
Does he have a blueprint you can share?

You "won't get there" by sitting on your hands, do nothing, and have no plan.

Hold your leaders to account and Nigeria will "get there", not by licking caked poo from their scally ass.

Buhari has no plans, no blueprint...that is why we want him out and for someone better prepared than he is to take over. Nigeria is not and cannot be a plaything for an incompetent tyrant.

There are more than reported. Bokoharam and Miyetti Allah Fulani Herdsmen are just politikking.

zoneb:
Only in this regime can something like this happen for the first time in Africa. Indeed there was a country.
God bless Nigeria

Its not first time. The have preferred using those ports for the past decade.

pinkcottoncandy:
Graham!

So dem nor like Kaduna dry port then?

Otuawulaeji!

Not sure that's the main issue. The can clear goods there but what about expense of shipping. The Kaduna dry port opperator and NSC both said lack of rails makes dry port expensive. The NRC is yet to supply the wagons for them as promised.

My people I don't think you need to be told. Be Aticulated.

You can see how port activities haa become. Only in this regim you see containers lining up to ojuelegba.

So na our port them dey use before.

Terrorist training ground.

The reasons they listed therr are balid enough for any sane individual to understand, why would one clear goods for two weeks plus when you can do it somewhere else for a day or two day's, let's face it,we have been messing up in our port issues.

Our ports is filled with rogues, thieves, extortionist and their likes. Expecting customer services to improve is like expecting PMB to debate in 2018 Presidential debate.

Give it to the man trained in port activities..... Intels is a case study

#getAtikulated...

Blue3k:


Its not first time. The have preferred using those ports for the past decade.



Not sure that's the main issue. The can clear goods there but what about expense of shipping. The Kaduna dry port opperator and NSC both said lack of rails makes dry port expensive. The NRC is yet to supply the wagons for them as promised.

Ok

Buhari is a disaster that must never allowed to near Aso rock.

CC deomelo hungerbad sarrki madridguy Bolustical seunmsg modath midolian corrithians butterflyleo cilicmarin passingshot vedaxcool blackpanda mannabbqgrill

Na Waoo, Buhari! Buhari!! Ghana is sending Nigeria traders packing, Benin Republic want to stop doing business with us and Tanzania just stop Visa on arrival for Nigerians. Where are we going from here? I now understand why some one said any body still Supporting Buhari is mentally ill.

Make una no worry....
It is good to pass through tough times so you can choose your real friends.
Nigeria will bounce back again, then Ghana, Libya, Niger etc go dey look, we go dey go

Stupid landlocked country that should be begging.

Pls someone should check the map of west Africa and see how Niger expect to enjoy this new deal especially with Ghana.

F

s

The case with Nigerian ports is pathetic.

They are handling fewer volumes than before but are taking longer time to do so. This is a huge cost to the consuming public as port delays lead to higher charges and will be ultimately paid for by the consuming public.

It takes between 24 and 72 hours to clear cargoes in Cotonou and Lome. There they measure in hours, like any other good port in the world. In Nigeria, we measure in weeks. it takes anything from 2 weeks to 7 weeks (or 7 weeks plus) to clear goods in Nigeria.

It is one of the worst port records in the world!

I wonder how our government has looked away from what is considered the gateway to the economy.

The delay starts with the ports who will take 2-3 days to stack the full containers.

The shipping companies have grown wings in this regime. They will take anything from 3-7 days just to create invoices. They make demurrage income by causing these delays. They sometimes put wrong details in their records and make you pay for it, in the form of amendment costs, which can also cause another 3 days.

Then you go to wait for another invoice from the terminals. And the story goes on!

Some of the invoices are created in India (by outsourcing) and they can tell you there is nothing they can do to hasten the process.

Meanwhile, our government agencies look away. They are also too interested in making their own incomes and have less interest in the process.

Then delay with Customs, delay with SON and so on. When you finish with all the bottlenecks in the ports you now face the Apapa transport gridlock that has now lasted more than 5 whole years. We are such an unserious bunch of people!

The last time anyone tried to change the system was when Okonjo Iweala forced several changes. Since then the lackadaisical approach has returned.

The government needs real professionals to sit and review the process. Their fraternal approach of employing incompetent townsmen has not solved the problem. Shipper's Council is seen to be ineffective.

Our ports can earn as good as crude oil if we do our homework. Dubai and Singapore economies became world economies because of their ports. New York Port is so rich that it owns a lot of the posh properties in Manhattan.

When are we going to wake from this slumber, or is it a coma? Even Niger is now sidelining us!

Wake up, Nigeria.

and APC is building rail down there! hahahaha presidency


this is how confused buhari is with Nigeria economy!


buhari studying the table below



saarki
butterflylo
do you have anything to say?

Waoh...this is a landmark achievement by Buhari's government

Who will associate with lifeless before.

This country is finished