Hassan Bello: With Technology, SON Has No Business at Ports
HASSAN BELLO
*Says physical examination of cargo by customs shameful
By Francis Ugwoke
The need to embrace technology in all processes involving ports operations has been identified as imperative to achieve far-reaching efficiency in cargo delivery.
Former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Hassan Bello said it was time Nigeria borrows a leaf from other advanced ports of the world, including the neighbouring ports where there is usually no delay in cargo handling operations.
Bello who spoke at the maritime seminar for judges organized by the ports economic regulator in Abuja said Nigeria must as quickly as possible embrace technology in all cargo operations at the ports.
Bello particularly made reference to the clamour by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to be at the ports, saying that with adequate technology operatives of the agency do not have to be physically present at the ports to do their job.
He said that personnel of agencies who are equipped with necessary technology can remain in their offices and do their job, adding that what Nigeria needs was a technology driven port as in other climes.
He pointed out that the situation was that many were trooping to the ports to carry out physical functions that can be handled from the comfort of their offices.
According to him, this was the reason for delays as importers seek to clear their goods at the ports.
Bello made reference to the scenario in advanced countries and even neighbouring port of Cotonou where cargo dwell time is either zero or minimal as a result of automation services.
He said that while it takes Nigerian importers about three weeks to clear their goods on arrival at the ports, it was not the same in our neighbouring ports.
For instance, he said while an importer can take delivery of his cargo on arrival the same day at Singapore, five days in Cotonou, it could be 21 days for an importer using Nigerian ports.
He described as shameful the fact that up till now, Nigeria Customs Service still examines cargoes physically instead of using scanners.
In such physical examination, it takes about five hours to examine just one container as against five minutes if scanners were in use, he said.
He called on the management of the NCS to expedite action on the deployment of scanners to save importers and their agents the time being wasted at the ports.
According to him, physical examination of cargo was primitive because of the waste of time and should be changed.
Noting that Customs is planning to deploy scanners at the ports, he however said the question is “what type of scanner is another thing entirely”.
He noted that the congestion in Nigerian ports was because of lack of planning, advising that there should be multimodal approach to cargo delivery and evacuation at the ports.
It would be recalled that the former Justice of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Sierra Leone and Nigeria, Hon. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, CFR, JSC (Rtd.) had during the seminar called for a radical reform in the nation’s maritime sector.
Justice Rhodes who was Chairman of the 16th International Maritime Seminar for Judges noted that the maritime sector ‘’constitutes a vital sector of any economy blessed with resources and recognized globally as one with enormous potential for facilitating and maintaining development – when properly harnessed’’.
Pointing out that the sector offers the best alternative in diversifying the economy, he argued that it was time to take steps to reposition the industry.
Part of the repositioning, he said, was to ensure the sector achieves its full potential including supporting the exploits of our agricultural exports.
He called on the government to take “full advantage of technological advancement including automation with its potential to eradicate corruption and other negative activities in the maritime sector”.
He argued that technology was capable of checking corruption in the sector.
He said,” Time has come for key steps to be taken to ensure the positioning of the Nigerian Maritime Sector to achieve its full potential including supporting the exploits of our agricultural exports.
“The radical reform process commenced in the sector years ago, has resulted in an increase in economic activities including the Billion Dollar investment in free trade zones and the diversification of our Ports’’.
“The Nigerian Executive arm of Government must be commended for its support in the drive for a viable Maritime sector including its efforts towards achieving far reaching reforms in the maritime sector. Recent reforms include the appointment of an Economic Regulator of the Ports with a view to enhancing efficiency, creating a competitive atmosphere and improving on the economic viability of the Ports subsector. Indeed having an economic regulator during the critical global economic downturn is imperative in the drive to encourage transparency in economic activities, create accessibility, enhance revenue generation and boost the patronage of our seaports for imports and export trade.
“I call on both the Judiciary and the Legislature to support fully the reforms of this critical sector of our economy and give the necessary support to enable it carry out its regulatory roles. It is expected that the Economic regulator will expeditiously and regularly come up with viable blueprints (whilst engaging fully with stakeholders) in the drive to achieve the maximum exploitation of the economic potentials of the maritime industry.
“Full advantage must be taken of technological advancement including automation with its potential to eradicate corruption and other negative activities in the maritime sector.
“Corruption is a major bane of development and is counterproductive to maximum productivity and efficiency. Stakeholders must ensure that all hands are on deck to get rid of any fraudulent and corrupt practices in the industry. Corruption militates against development. It increases the cost of doing business, limits economic growth, negatively impacts on social wellbeing, destroys and distorts processes and procedures, robs the government of legitimate revenue and gives the country a bad image globally.
“A corrupt free economy requires lucid, clear, simple and predictable rules governing all economic activities. All hands must be on deck to ensure smooth and consistent transition to technology including automation. Automation reduces negative activities and can be a remedy for increasing the ease of doing business by diminishing human contacts and increasing efficiency. The Economic Regulator will entrench transparency, accountability through the automation of our Ports.
“Government efforts towards repositioning the economy may be slow but we shall surely get there if we all join hands to move our economy forward. I am confident that all genuine efforts towards the improvement of the economy will continue to enjoy full support of the government”.
On the importance of the seminar, Rhodes said there was the need for support to be “extended fully to the efforts of the Seminar aimed at continuing education and exposure of our judicial officers to the field of International Maritime Law and its related areas of Law in the interest of the overall development of our Nation.
“The topics for this Seminar appear to have been well chosen.
“It is commendable that technology and ADR have been included in the topics in view of their importance in the 21st century as key instruments for Judicial and economic reform.
He said he was delighted to note the presence of Chief Justices and other Judges and representatives from sister African nations
They include the Chief Justices of The Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
“I do remember with nostalgia, my service as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone on secondment from Nigeria. You are all most welcome. I also welcome our Judges from all levels of Court. Indeed the extent of judicial participation underscores the importance of this Seminar. I also welcome our speakers who have selflessly given of their time and intellectual knowhow in contributing to this Seminar”.
By Francis Ugwoke
The need to embrace technology in all processes involving ports operations has been identified as imperative to achieve far-reaching efficiency in cargo delivery.
Former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Hassan Bello said it was time Nigeria borrows a leaf from other advanced ports of the world, including the neighbouring ports where there is usually no delay in cargo handling operations.
Bello who spoke at the maritime seminar for judges organized by the ports economic regulator in Abuja said Nigeria must as quickly as possible embrace technology in all cargo operations at the ports.
Bello particularly made reference to the clamour by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to be at the ports, saying that with adequate technology operatives of the agency do not have to be physically present at the ports to do their job.
He said that personnel of agencies who are equipped with necessary technology can remain in their offices and do their job, adding that what Nigeria needs was a technology driven port as in other climes.
He pointed out that the situation was that many were trooping to the ports to carry out physical functions that can be handled from the comfort of their offices.
According to him, this was the reason for delays as importers seek to clear their goods at the ports.
Bello made reference to the scenario in advanced countries and even neighbouring port of Cotonou where cargo dwell time is either zero or minimal as a result of automation services.
He said that while it takes Nigerian importers about three weeks to clear their goods on arrival at the ports, it was not the same in our neighbouring ports.
For instance, he said while an importer can take delivery of his cargo on arrival the same day at Singapore, five days in Cotonou, it could be 21 days for an importer using Nigerian ports.
He described as shameful the fact that up till now, Nigeria Customs Service still examines cargoes physically instead of using scanners.
In such physical examination, it takes about five hours to examine just one container as against five minutes if scanners were in use, he said.
He called on the management of the NCS to expedite action on the deployment of scanners to save importers and their agents the time being wasted at the ports.
According to him, physical examination of cargo was primitive because of the waste of time and should be changed.
Noting that Customs is planning to deploy scanners at the ports, he however said the question is “what type of scanner is another thing entirely”.
He noted that the congestion in Nigerian ports was because of lack of planning, advising that there should be multimodal approach to cargo delivery and evacuation at the ports.
It would be recalled that the former Justice of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Sierra Leone and Nigeria, Hon. Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, CFR, JSC (Rtd.) had during the seminar called for a radical reform in the nation’s maritime sector.
Justice Rhodes who was Chairman of the 16th International Maritime Seminar for Judges noted that the maritime sector ‘’constitutes a vital sector of any economy blessed with resources and recognized globally as one with enormous potential for facilitating and maintaining development – when properly harnessed’’.
Pointing out that the sector offers the best alternative in diversifying the economy, he argued that it was time to take steps to reposition the industry.
Part of the repositioning, he said, was to ensure the sector achieves its full potential including supporting the exploits of our agricultural exports.
He called on the government to take “full advantage of technological advancement including automation with its potential to eradicate corruption and other negative activities in the maritime sector”.
He argued that technology was capable of checking corruption in the sector.
He said,” Time has come for key steps to be taken to ensure the positioning of the Nigerian Maritime Sector to achieve its full potential including supporting the exploits of our agricultural exports.
“The radical reform process commenced in the sector years ago, has resulted in an increase in economic activities including the Billion Dollar investment in free trade zones and the diversification of our Ports’’.
“The Nigerian Executive arm of Government must be commended for its support in the drive for a viable Maritime sector including its efforts towards achieving far reaching reforms in the maritime sector. Recent reforms include the appointment of an Economic Regulator of the Ports with a view to enhancing efficiency, creating a competitive atmosphere and improving on the economic viability of the Ports subsector. Indeed having an economic regulator during the critical global economic downturn is imperative in the drive to encourage transparency in economic activities, create accessibility, enhance revenue generation and boost the patronage of our seaports for imports and export trade.
“I call on both the Judiciary and the Legislature to support fully the reforms of this critical sector of our economy and give the necessary support to enable it carry out its regulatory roles. It is expected that the Economic regulator will expeditiously and regularly come up with viable blueprints (whilst engaging fully with stakeholders) in the drive to achieve the maximum exploitation of the economic potentials of the maritime industry.
“Full advantage must be taken of technological advancement including automation with its potential to eradicate corruption and other negative activities in the maritime sector.
“Corruption is a major bane of development and is counterproductive to maximum productivity and efficiency. Stakeholders must ensure that all hands are on deck to get rid of any fraudulent and corrupt practices in the industry. Corruption militates against development. It increases the cost of doing business, limits economic growth, negatively impacts on social wellbeing, destroys and distorts processes and procedures, robs the government of legitimate revenue and gives the country a bad image globally.
“A corrupt free economy requires lucid, clear, simple and predictable rules governing all economic activities. All hands must be on deck to ensure smooth and consistent transition to technology including automation. Automation reduces negative activities and can be a remedy for increasing the ease of doing business by diminishing human contacts and increasing efficiency. The Economic Regulator will entrench transparency, accountability through the automation of our Ports.
“Government efforts towards repositioning the economy may be slow but we shall surely get there if we all join hands to move our economy forward. I am confident that all genuine efforts towards the improvement of the economy will continue to enjoy full support of the government”.
On the importance of the seminar, Rhodes said there was the need for support to be “extended fully to the efforts of the Seminar aimed at continuing education and exposure of our judicial officers to the field of International Maritime Law and its related areas of Law in the interest of the overall development of our Nation.
“The topics for this Seminar appear to have been well chosen.
“It is commendable that technology and ADR have been included in the topics in view of their importance in the 21st century as key instruments for Judicial and economic reform.
He said he was delighted to note the presence of Chief Justices and other Judges and representatives from sister African nations
They include the Chief Justices of The Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
“I do remember with nostalgia, my service as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone on secondment from Nigeria. You are all most welcome. I also welcome our Judges from all levels of Court. Indeed the extent of judicial participation underscores the importance of this Seminar. I also welcome our speakers who have selflessly given of their time and intellectual knowhow in contributing to this Seminar”.
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