The newly-appointed Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani has commended the Nigerian Shippers Council for the establishment of Vehicle Transit Areas (VTAs) amongst other initiatives aimed at trade facilitation.
Dr. Ajani who spoke when she received in audience the management team of the Nigeria Shippers Council led by its Executive Secretary, Hassan Bello, expressed delight at the modest achievements of the Council under his leadership . She urged the Council to carry on with its noble role of improving the lots of the Nigerian Shipper and that the Ministry of Transportation would give all necessary assistance to the Council on the actualization of its core mandate.
Barr Bello had earlier briefed the new Permanent Secretary about some ongoing projects of the Council including plans for a 24 hour Port Operations and efforts by the Nigerian Shippers Council to introduce an intermodal mode of Transport, digitization of Ports Operations amongst other initiatives of the Council.. Hassan Bello also took the opportunity of the visit to brief the Permanent Secretary about some challenges, particularly resistance to regulation.
On the VTAs, Dr. Ajani was particularly excited about the prospect of the actualization of VTAs in various parts of Nigeria leading to a significant reduction of road accidents. She said the VTAs would create sanity on the roads while generating employment.
The National Single Window ,according to her is very important for the development of the maritime sector in Nigeria as it will ease the business of shipping.
The permanent secretary commended heads of maritime agencies for their monthly meetings during which issues within the industry are discussed exhaustively with a view to finding solutions. She said the Ministry expects synergy and collaboration amongst all the agencies under its supervision in order to deliver on the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari. She promised that the Ministry would assist the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to actualize its set goals. She pointed out the importance of further synergy between the Nigerian Railway Corporation and the Nigerian Shippers Council in the transportation of containers to and from the Ports.