Former Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello.

The immediate past Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council NSC, Hassan Bello has said that the automation and integration of the country’s various port systems would enhance efficiency, reduce cost of operation and make the seaports more user-friendly.

He also dispelled insinuations in some quarters that he left very big shoes, especially in terms of his towering achievements for his successor, insisting that the new CEO, Emmanuel Jime equally parades intimidating credentials that suggest he would also match and even surpass his achievements.

While speaking in an interview shortly after a reception organised in his honour by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF, Bello noted that Nigeria needed to build urgently a port community system that integrates all the various stakeholders in line with efforts to achieve port efficiency and attainment of a hub status for West and Central African sub-region.

According to him, many port stakeholders including shipping companies, terminal operators and even some freight forwarding firms have achieved up to 70per cent or more of automation of their operations, a development that requires an integration of all the systems under one port community system, which makes port operations more seamless.

He also noted that the port system is all about efficiency and competitiveness, especially with other seaports within the region, adding that Nigeria’s seaports need to achieve a level of efficiency and competitiveness with their peers within the sub-region through automation and integration of all the systems.

He however regretted that the country currently does 100per cent physical examination of cargo as against the globally accepted practice of scanning of such consignments, which makes room for efficiency and timely release of cargo, thereby reducing the dwell time of cargo which stands at about 21 days, which he described as unacceptable.

On the achievements recorded under his eight-year tenure, which include compelling shipping companies and terminal operators not to hike port charges arbitrarily, ensuring that the ports operate 24-hours as well as promoting the Inland Container Depots ICDs, among several others, Bello said that the past CEOs of the agency laid solid growth foundation which he only built on.

He disclosed that the members of staff of the council, which he described as the best in the industry were actually responsible for the modest achievements recorded under his eight-year tenure, arguing that it is not all about him, but about the entire staffers of the council.

“Nigeria’s seaports have attained up to 70per cent automation, the level of automation varies with individual stakeholders. But the ports also need a community system that integrates all the various systems to make for seamless port operations. All the revenue leakages we talk about would be addressed as soon as the ports are fully automated and integrated. It would also reduce corruption because there would be very minimal human interface.

“Automation and integration of the systems would enhance efficiency, competitiveness and cost reduction. All the efficient seaports all over the world are fully automated and integrated, which in addition to enhancing competitiveness would drastically reduce the current high cost of operation.

“I have been reading reports about leaving big shoes and I make bold to say that I left no big shoes for my successor. He also parades very intimidating credentials, having been CEO of the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority NEPZA, which has a lot to do with exports and so I have no doubt that he would match and even surpass our achievements.

“I also need to put it on record here that the modest achievement we recorded was because of the solid foundation laid by my predecessors, we merely built on this foundation. Similarly, the members of staff of Nigerian Shippers Council are the centre of these modest achievements because it would not have been possible without them, in fact they are the best in the maritime industry”, Bello asserted.

He thanked the stakeholders for the encomiums poured him, saying that the event was one of the best moments in his sojourn in the maritime industry. While also thanking the stakeholders for their support and cooperation with the council under his supervision, he charged them to more than double such support and cooperation for his successor, insisting that there were still much to be done to grow the maritime industry on a sustainable basis.