THE Federal Government, yesterday, disclosed a maritime security
strategy to combat sea piracy and other criminal activities on the nation’s
coastal and territorial waters. The accompanying cost of the implementation is
put at N186 million.
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| Nigeria Navy ship on patrol |
Speaking at the one day conference on fast-tracking Port Reforms,
Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, said that the government
decided to move against these criminal elements so as to attract more cargo
traffic and investors to the sector.
For the implementation of the strategy Amaechi said that President
Mohammadu Buhari has approved the acquisition of three air crafts, three
helicopters, 12 fast moving vessels and 20 amphibious vehicles for that
purpose.
He stated: “Turning our ports to world class port will not happen now,
it will take time but we must start from somewhere.”
He explained that since inception of the current administration, the
goal of government in the reformation of the maritime sector is providing
enabling environment for the modernization and expansion of existing
infrastructure.
He disclosed that the government is working on the Single Window
Project, a one-stop shop for cargo clearance, adding that it will reduce cargo
clearance by almost fifty percent.
At the one day conference which was organised by The Nations
Newspapers, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council,
(NSC) Mr. Hassan Bello, however, stated that the nation’s ports still remain
the costliest in the West and Central Africa sub-region.
Bello who was represented by Cajetan Agu, a Director in the NSC, also
said that while it takes 20 days to clear a container in Nigeria, it
takes only seven and three days in Togo and Benin Republic respectively.
He also disclosed that while cargo begins to attract demurrage
after five days in Nigeria, in Cotonou and Lome it is after ten days.
Harboursandport: 04/05/17
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