Th e Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has expressed the desire to partner with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to grow and modernise the infrastructure in the transport sector in Nigeria. Th is is as the Council also decried the decay of the infrastructure in the port saying they were ‘obsolete’.
Th e Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Offi cer (ES/CEO) of NSC, Barrister Hassan Bello said that there was need for the rail lines to be linked with the Inland Container Depots (ICDs). Bello gave the hint during a courtesy visit by the Acting Director General of ICRC to the Shippers’ Tower in Lagos. He noted that both agencies were partners in progress on development of ports infrastructures, pointing out that transport sector play a dominant role in economic development.
Th e council’s boss further added that exportation of Nigerian products have been on the rise and it is important to note that there has been defi cit in the transport sector in Nigeria which needs to be revamped. He said that there was the need for infrastructure development in the country in view to economic sustainability and modern investments. He called on the ICRC to provide the framework and development of transport infrastructures arguing that, transport drives the economy.
“Our partnership with ICRC is natural and we need to have one standard system of transport and we need guided partnership from them. “What we are seeking is for Nigeria to have a world standard transport infrastructure which would drive the economy and trade facilitation.
“Th e dry ports must be of standard and of course must be state of the art which must be driven by automation,” he said. Bello maintained that the ICD project would serve as a port of destination and origin with a view for them to be fully automated. Responding, the Acting Director General, ICPC , Chidi Izuwa said that the commission was the body responsible for regulation of Public and Private Partnership (PPP) in providing infrastructures for investors in the transport sub sector of the country.
Izuwa said that the partnership between both agencies was in line with the council regulatory role on Inland Container Depots (ICD) projects and Truck Transit Park (TTP). He said that building a deep seaport at the moment would take a longer period upon completion adding that the fastest ways to increase port facility is to build dry ports. .“We are working with the council to ensure that in line with the change agenda of his Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari we can bring in the private sector to provide this facilities for the services for Nigeria” “It is important to work with the council as an economic regulator to protect key projects in the ports,” he stated.
