ES/CEO of Shippers Council bids Transport minister, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi farewell after a visit by the minister to the Council

In a bid to ease the ordeal of truck drivers and reduce the apprehension of cargo owners, owing to bad roads and other hurdles to speedy movement of cargo from sea ports to other parts of the country, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called on Eastern State Governments to the support the Council in its efforts to develop Truck Transit Park (TTP) for the growth of Nigeria’s maritime industry.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Mr. Hassan BeF

, represented by the Director Inland Trade Services, Mr. Akintunde Makinde made the call at a forum under the auspices of the Onitsha Chamber of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA) in Onitsha Anambra state.

Addressing members of the chamber and the eastern business community, the Council posited that Truck Transit Parks (TTP) will be instrumental to the development of the nation’s maritime industry in the creation of employment opportunities and related socio-economic services, improve Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for state governments and also improve transit trade with land locked neighbouring countries.

According to the Council, a Truck Transit Park is a modern state-of-the art facility situated off the busy highways is a place where truck drivers will conveniently park their vehicles in a healthy environment, get accommodation, fuel, food, rest rooms and even service their vehicles.

The NSC stated that the important place occupied by the Eastern Zone in Nigeria’s International Trade cannot be over emphasised. NSC will therefore continue to view the zone as one of its viable partners in the business of Shipping and International Trade. Adding that port reforms no doubt holds a lot of benefits to the national economy and that of the South-East in particular, in view of the zones’ stake in the sector.

In the word of the ES/CEO of the Council, “we shall remain open, independent, neutral and consultative while all our decisions will be based on the buy-in of stakeholders at all times. I want to place on record the fact that NSC views the actualization of the Inland Dry Ports (IDP), Container Freight Station (CFS), Truck Transit Park (TTP), and the River Port projects as of paramount importance to the advancement of the economy of the South-East Zone.  We will not relent in all our efforts towards ensuring their realization in the nearest future. To achieve these our goals, we need your support to weather the storm in all our endeavours.”

The NSC as Economic Port Regulator is mandated to consult, coordinate, moderate, and harmonize the various processes and procedures with a view to achieving best practices in the Nigeria’s maritime industry.