By Uzor Odigbo
“What we have done today is to have a preview of what terminals look at prior to our commencing the exercise,”
The National Coordinator, Port Standing Task Team (PSTT), Mr Moses Fadipe, has described the Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), as an eyesore.
Fadipe made this known in Lagos on Monday during an inspection of some terminals and sensitisation of operators to the need to abide by the directives on joint examination of cargo.
The terminals visited are: APM Terminals, Apapa (APMT), Port and Cargo Handling Service Ltd., and Cargo Handling Service and Port and Terminal Multiservices Ltd (PTML).
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He decried porosity observed at the TICT, noting that it was difficult to distinguish between genuine agents and touts.
“Today’s event is part of an ongoing process for the implementation of the Nigerian Port Process Manual which government at the federal level put in the purview of four agencies,” he said.
Fadipe listed the four agencies as the Nigerian Shipper’s Council, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and the Department of State Service and the Nigerian Ports Authority.
He noted that the agencies were to monitor the manual process and ensure compliance.
“The manual has some trajectory steps of activities at the terminals and it is well spelled out, so all stakeholders in the terminals have activities to carry out..
The coordinator said that inspections at some terminals revealed that the marketing section was adjourned to the examination bay.
“We are looking at the next three weeks, we will come back again and check if there is any progress,” Fadipe said.
He further said that at the Port and Cargo Handling Service Ltd., the examination had not commenced as at 12.00 p.m. when the team visited, contrary to 9.00 a.m. slated by the government.
Fadipe said that the PTML and APMT terminals were well structured, clear and neat unlike their counterparts.
“That is why we are trying our best to get their support and encourage them to know that they can do it,” he said
