The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has launched its operational manual for inland dry ports to promote efficient transportation, enhance efficiency at the ports and engender trade facilitation.
Speaking at the official launch in Kano Friday, the executive secretary/chief executive officer of the Council, Emmanuel L. Jime, said the manual was produced to articulate the step-by-step procedures for receiving, storing, handling and delivery of cargoes, as well as highlighting the operations, responsibilities of agencies and timelines for discharging such tasks.
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He said the operational manual would also be launched in Port Harcourt and Lagos at later dates to bring stakeholders in other regions in the country on board the reform, adding that immediately the process is concluded, the operators and regulators would be compelled to abide by the operational processes as contained in the manual.
Represented by Phillip Eduwa, the Council’s Director of Inland Transport, Jime noted that while the manual was based on the international best practices, it had been adapted to local context, and since each dry port would have its own specialty, organisational implementation, layout constraints and services would be amended in a case-by-case basis.
On his part, the Minister of Transportation, Muazu Jaji Sambo, who was represented by a deputy director in the ministry, Ewache Victor, harped on the significance of the manual, and urged all stakeholders in the sector to ensure full implementation of the operational manual as a workable policy document that would drive the operations of inland dry ports in Nigeria.
