From left: Mr. Austine E. Egbagbadia, Chairman Nigeria Shippers’ Association, Delta State Chapter; Mrs. Maureen Ihejetoh, representing Acting CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council; Engr. Austine Odiete, representing Hon. Ben Igbakpa, and Mrs Celine Amaka Ifeora, representing the Director of Commercial Shipping Services

Frank Efe

Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Ben Igbakpa has described the maritime transport in Nigeria as one of the worst system of transportation saying cargo owners depend too much on the developed world for the carriage of their goods.

Hon. Igbakpa stated this during his opening speech at the enlightenment seminar titled, “Container Handling and Collection of Refunds” organized by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC)held at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre, Effurun, Delta State.

The Transport Commissioner who was represented by Engineer Austine Odiete, Director Marine Transport, Ministry of Transport, Asaba, said the functions of the NSC is to protect the interest of Exporters, Manufacturers, Businessmen and individuals who move their goods by see, just as he congratulated the NSC for thinking it wise to organize the seminar.

He said; “One important area I have to mention is that, developing countries such as Nigeria are generally worse off in all facets of maritime transport especially as cargo owner who are dependent on the developed world for the carriage of their goods. Hence, this seminar should aim at making humble contributions to advancing the protection of cargo Owners interest and also develop of policies that streamline and simplify maritime activities.”

He added that the seminar will enlighten people on how they will be able to transact international trade with minimum difficulties so as to substantially increase the export earnings from Nigeria’s non-oil commodities as well as maintain its place in the oil trade to the oil trade to the economic growth of the country.

Also, addressing the participants, the Acting Executive Secretary/CEO, NSC, Barrister Hassan Bello said the seminar was timely as there has been continuous complaints on non-refund of container deposits by shippers, stressing that investigations carried out recently on the issue revealed that most of these shippers were still unaware of the proper procedure for claiming back their Container Deposit Refund.

Barrister Bello who was represented by Mrs. Maureen Ihejetoh noted that the ugly situation has posed a lot of problems to the business of Nigerian Shippers and has often times degenerated into face-off, protest and litigations between them and the shipping companies.

He said; “It is against this backdrop and in a bid to sensitize the shipping community in Delta State, that Nigeria Shippers’ Council is holding this one-day Shippers’ Enlightenment Seminar. I have no doubt that this seminar will prove to be of immense benefits to all stakeholders and your deliberations will yield sound and lofty ideas for executive Actions.”

In his goodwill message the Chairman of Nigeria Shippers’ Association, Delta State Chapter, Mr. Austine E. Egbagbadia, while thanking NSC for organizing the seminar, said the maritime transport is a business for everybody and that if properly managed Nigerians will gain from it immensely as it will help raise the revenue of the nation.

In her presentation, one of the resource persons in the Seminar, Mrs. D. Shall-Holla, Director, Commercial Shipping Services, advocated for the a single window system in the shipping industry to increase efficiency through time and cost saving in dealing with various government authorities and service providers in obtaining relevant clearance permits.

Mrs. Shall-Holla who was represented by Mrs. Celine Amaka Ifeora also blamed the Federal Government for not implementing policies that regulates the shipping industry in the country.