The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo has mandated the Nigerian Shippers’ council to exercise a high sense of responsibility and boldness to reject the concession renewal bid of any terminal operator who has met up with the 2006 port agreement in terms of efficiency and other key performance indicators spelt out in the agreement.

The Honourable Minister, who made this known during an official visit to the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) in Lagos, said ports reforms were meant to achieve efficiency in ports operations, increase cargo traffic and improve revenue; adding that these would be key considerations in renewing concession agreements.

While placing the responsibility of approving ports concession agreements renewal on the Nigerian Shippers Council, the Minister charged the Agency to be meticulous in the screening process and to drop any company that could not satisfy the conditions for renewal of the agreements.

“The renewal of the concessions should be based on the performance of the company that was handling it.

“Where a terminal operator’s concession should not be renewed, you must be bold enough to say it should not be renewed because they have not been able to match the target that was set for them and we will look for other companies that will meet the conditions, he said

The Minister, exercising the powers conferred on him by all extant laws, directed the Nigerian Shippers Council, as the regulators of the ports, to establish a port community system in the country.

“Even other neighboring countries, like the Republic of Benin, have a port community system working for them.

The Minister recalled the significant achievement so far recorded in the implementation of the dry Ports projects and urged the Shippers Council to work towards the successful take-off of the dry Ports in other designated areas of Jos, Aba, and Ibadan.

He said the President has approved that oil cargo tracking should be handled by the Ministry of Transportation,  as the traditional role holders of cargo tracking, adding that this responsibility falls on the Nigerian Shippers Council.

On the issue of terminal charges, Sambo said there have been complaints of high terminal charges by terminal operators. He advised that the approved template for terminal charges should be adhered to and that the NSC should embark on massive enlightenment on the approved charges and should provide a platform through which importers can report terminal operators that charge beyond the approved rates.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Emmanuel Jime commended the Minister for his leadership excellence, noting that the Minster has promoted cooperation, collaboration and synergy amongst all the Agencies in the Ministry of Transportation.

He appreciated the  Minister for constituting a Ministerial Committee to review the NSC Act and expressed optimism that the Bill would be passed into law before the end of the Minister’s stay in office.

He said the recent commissioning of the Dala Dry Port in Kano State and the declaration of the Funtua Dry Port in Katsina State as a port of origin and destination attest to the competence of the Minister.