Safety measures : Nigerian Shippers’ Council posts staff to Terminals

Safety measures : Nigerian Shippers’ Council posts staff to Terminals

By Udeme Clement :

In view of the importance of the continuation of port operations as essential services, which was highlighted by President Muhammadu Buhari in his March 29
address, Nigerian Shippers’ Council has been engaging
with all stakeholders under its purview to ensure that safety and health guidleines are strictly adhered to, so
as to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

To this end, the Council has assigned its officers to the various shipping companies and terminals to assist in ensuring that all safety and health regulations issued by the authorities are strictly adhered to during these times.

NSC cannot overemphasise the importance of all port
users, particularly freightforwarders, conducting them‐
selves responsibly and adhering to health guidelines as they go about their very essential business.

In a related development, underscoring the importance of port operations, the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, had during the daily COVID-19 briefing in the past week, referred to his conversation with the ES/CEO of Nigerian
Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, in which it was confirmed that some banks had agreed to open for
business in the Apapa axis for a limited number of
hours in order to facilitate port operations.

The SGF
explained that at the onset of the lockdown, banking
halls had been marked out as potential risk zones for Covid19.

However, a review of that thinking became
necessary when it emerged that banks had to open for people to pay custom duties and other charges.