Ports Efficiency Has Added to Average Turnaround Time, Says NSC Boss
NSC CEO
* Now there is sanity, some level of order are beginning to develop.….
By Francis Ugwoke
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has said that despite all the challenges, the ports economic regulator has been able to achieve tremendous amount of efficiency in ports operations.
The Executive Secretary of the Council, Hon Emmanuel Jime, said that as an arbiter in the ports system, the agency has enjoyed every level of cooperation from both providers and consumers of shipping services.
Jime in an exclusive interview with Shipping Day said the establishment of the Nigerian Ports Process Manual (NPPM) and subsequently the Ports Standing Task Team (PSTT) led by the NSC has yielded a lot of dividends in terms of achieving efficiency in ports operations.
Noting that there was initial resistance, he said, there is now “an almost total buy-in of the regulatory role of the NSC as the ports economic regulator”.
Jime said he is happy that the efficiency in operations has added to the average turnaround time in the ports.
He attributed this to the activities of the PSTT which according to him has insisted on strict observation of the provisions of the NPPM guidelines.
Jime said , “I am very happy to pronounce and to say today that there is an almost total buy-in of the regulatory role of the NSC as the ports economic regulator. It has not always been so. At the beginning when we started performing these functions, naturally there was resistance, and again I say that this came as a result of lack of understanding for the most part… of course, there was mischief certainly. You know, we keep mounting all these beautiful concept of having international best practices regulatory environment that meets the need of the particular industry that we are regulating. But the reality is that most people actually prefer atmosphere that is not properly regulated because they benefit the strongest. Regulation actually in my understanding benefits everyone but most importantly protects the weak against the strong. That is the setting in which we have to understand what has happened. “So, initially we had resistance. We have moved away gradually from resistance to ….oh let’s take a second look and see what is going on here’ and today we are now effectively at the place where stakeholders in the industry not only recognize but have appreciated that regulation is very very necessary for there to be an effective conduct of business in any sector and moreso particularly in the shipping, maritime industry. As I said earlier, we have participation from foreign internationals who come from climes and societies where the rule of law and due process is very properly entrenched. “So, it behoves on us to equally put a framework that is in conformity with those kind of international practices that those who are working with us are participating in this our economy and already imbibed as a way of conduct of business in our ports as well. So, today, we are happy at the level of compliance and it is because of that that we have been able to also record tremendous amount of successes in the way that our maritime space is being run.
“ Today, we are happy to report that for instance, the average turnaround time in our ports due to the activities of the PSTT which has ensured following the strict provisions of the NPPM guidelines that there is joint boarding of vessels for instance. There is also joint examination of cargo. In the ports we had different agencies of government who took their time and decided at their own space whenever they will perform a function. This is no longer the case. We believe that if you save time in the manner in which conduct of cargo examination is done, if you save time in the manner in which you board the vessels that have berthed in our waters, there is tremendous amount of efficiency that is then brought to bear on the manner of the conduct of business in the ports. So, I am happy that we have been given the tools by the establishment of this particular document and of the work of the ports having Task Team that has collaborated and assisted all the other divisions that are present here in the NSC. i.e the regulatory services division working hand-in-hand with the PSTT is now better in role to guarantee automation in the industry which we have been driving and of course a number of the tools that are available for us to be able to ensure there is quality service delivery in our ports. Don’t forget the PSTT under our leadership has also extended its activities to cover access into the ports. We all remember many years ago, the gridlock that visited access into the ports, whether it is in the area of the trucks coming in , whether it is in the area of containers that were littered in the ports. Now there is sanity , some level of order are beginning to develop and we can only continue in that pathway, because it guarantees that we can be more sustainable in the way we are ensuring quality service delivery in our ports.
On threat to the lives of members of the PSTT operatives who have been involved in trying to ensure sanity at the ports, he said this has not changed, but added that the team is more dogged and committed to ensure success.
According to him, “It has not changed much. The threat and the challenge are still there. But what has happened also is that there is doggedness and a firm commitment. In fact the leadership of the PSTT under the gentleman we all call the ‘Star Boy’ of the NSC, Fadipe, is exemplary in their conduct. There is nothing that has not been thrown in their way to interfere and interrupt their ability to work. “They have resisted every temptation and provocation. Let me use this platform to also commend some of the stakeholders who are part of this team, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, the Customs Service, the Road Safety Commission and other agencies of government that have collaborated and supported the team in their work. “The harder the challenges, the harder we are fighting back to ensure that we will continue to support the work of the PSTT. It is something that we will continue to support because their success at the end of the day is leading to the delivery of the environment that is guaranteeing more sustainable and quality service delivery in our ports system”.
By Francis Ugwoke
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has said that despite all the challenges, the ports economic regulator has been able to achieve tremendous amount of efficiency in ports operations.
The Executive Secretary of the Council, Hon Emmanuel Jime, said that as an arbiter in the ports system, the agency has enjoyed every level of cooperation from both providers and consumers of shipping services.
Jime in an exclusive interview with Shipping Day said the establishment of the Nigerian Ports Process Manual (NPPM) and subsequently the Ports Standing Task Team (PSTT) led by the NSC has yielded a lot of dividends in terms of achieving efficiency in ports operations.
Noting that there was initial resistance, he said, there is now “an almost total buy-in of the regulatory role of the NSC as the ports economic regulator”.
Jime said he is happy that the efficiency in operations has added to the average turnaround time in the ports.
He attributed this to the activities of the PSTT which according to him has insisted on strict observation of the provisions of the NPPM guidelines.
Jime said , “I am very happy to pronounce and to say today that there is an almost total buy-in of the regulatory role of the NSC as the ports economic regulator. It has not always been so. At the beginning when we started performing these functions, naturally there was resistance, and again I say that this came as a result of lack of understanding for the most part… of course, there was mischief certainly. You know, we keep mounting all these beautiful concept of having international best practices regulatory environment that meets the need of the particular industry that we are regulating. But the reality is that most people actually prefer atmosphere that is not properly regulated because they benefit the strongest. Regulation actually in my understanding benefits everyone but most importantly protects the weak against the strong. That is the setting in which we have to understand what has happened. “So, initially we had resistance. We have moved away gradually from resistance to ….oh let’s take a second look and see what is going on here’ and today we are now effectively at the place where stakeholders in the industry not only recognize but have appreciated that regulation is very very necessary for there to be an effective conduct of business in any sector and moreso particularly in the shipping, maritime industry. As I said earlier, we have participation from foreign internationals who come from climes and societies where the rule of law and due process is very properly entrenched. “So, it behoves on us to equally put a framework that is in conformity with those kind of international practices that those who are working with us are participating in this our economy and already imbibed as a way of conduct of business in our ports as well. So, today, we are happy at the level of compliance and it is because of that that we have been able to also record tremendous amount of successes in the way that our maritime space is being run.
“ Today, we are happy to report that for instance, the average turnaround time in our ports due to the activities of the PSTT which has ensured following the strict provisions of the NPPM guidelines that there is joint boarding of vessels for instance. There is also joint examination of cargo. In the ports we had different agencies of government who took their time and decided at their own space whenever they will perform a function. This is no longer the case. We believe that if you save time in the manner in which conduct of cargo examination is done, if you save time in the manner in which you board the vessels that have berthed in our waters, there is tremendous amount of efficiency that is then brought to bear on the manner of the conduct of business in the ports. So, I am happy that we have been given the tools by the establishment of this particular document and of the work of the ports having Task Team that has collaborated and assisted all the other divisions that are present here in the NSC. i.e the regulatory services division working hand-in-hand with the PSTT is now better in role to guarantee automation in the industry which we have been driving and of course a number of the tools that are available for us to be able to ensure there is quality service delivery in our ports. Don’t forget the PSTT under our leadership has also extended its activities to cover access into the ports. We all remember many years ago, the gridlock that visited access into the ports, whether it is in the area of the trucks coming in , whether it is in the area of containers that were littered in the ports. Now there is sanity , some level of order are beginning to develop and we can only continue in that pathway, because it guarantees that we can be more sustainable in the way we are ensuring quality service delivery in our ports.
On threat to the lives of members of the PSTT operatives who have been involved in trying to ensure sanity at the ports, he said this has not changed, but added that the team is more dogged and committed to ensure success.
According to him, “It has not changed much. The threat and the challenge are still there. But what has happened also is that there is doggedness and a firm commitment. In fact the leadership of the PSTT under the gentleman we all call the ‘Star Boy’ of the NSC, Fadipe, is exemplary in their conduct. There is nothing that has not been thrown in their way to interfere and interrupt their ability to work. “They have resisted every temptation and provocation. Let me use this platform to also commend some of the stakeholders who are part of this team, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, the Customs Service, the Road Safety Commission and other agencies of government that have collaborated and supported the team in their work. “The harder the challenges, the harder we are fighting back to ensure that we will continue to support the work of the PSTT. It is something that we will continue to support because their success at the end of the day is leading to the delivery of the environment that is guaranteeing more sustainable and quality service delivery in our ports system”.
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