By Uzor Odigbo
Apparently satisfied with the two-day capacity building programme for personnel, the Maritime Police Command, has appealed to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to extend the gesture to officers and men in other coastal states across the country.
The council on Thursday and Friday last week in Lagos held a training programme for personnel of the Maritime Police Command.
The Maritime Police Command comprises: Marine Police, Port Authority Police, inland waterways and Maritime Police with supervisory headquarters at Obalende, Lagos.
The Police urged the council to engage personnel in Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers, Cross Rivers and Bayelsa states to benefit from the training in addition to promote trade and cargo security across the country.
Speaking at the programme, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Uba Kura Mohammed at the opening ceremony, said the force would continue to synergize with the Council to ensure smooth trade facilitation and to further increase port efficiency.
The police top brass assured that it would continue to work with the council in achieving its economic port regulator mandates in boosting international trade adding that the training programme was timely for personnel from the Maritime units.
Uba Kura reiterated the Maritime Police commitment toward promoting ease of doing business at the ports, assuring the council that any form of delay in the clearance of cargoes would be resolved.
Uba Kura who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Maritime Police Command, Mr. Fayode Adegoke noted that speedy clearance of cargoes from the port would promote a friendly and robust business atmosphere for international trade, adding that issues on delay of cargoes would soon be a thing of the past.
“I want to sincerely thank Nigeria Shippers’ Council for this seminar. I know it will go a long way to assist the police in improving service delivery but at the same time , I want to implore our officers and men to take the advantage of the seminar because it is very important.
“We must take the advantage of the lectures delivered. Please don’t go and throw away the materials.
“Make sure you read and digest all the materials and practice it whenever you get to the field,” he urged personnel.
He also advised officers and men under the command to be friendly and trustworthy among stakeholders , pointing out that transparency was key in port operations.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary of the council, Barrister Hassan Bello reiterated that as port economic regulator, there was need to synergy with sister agencies at the ports.
Bello commended the Maritime Police for the synergy in its enforcement roles to increase port efficiency .
Bello was represented by Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement Division, Regulatory Services Department of the council, Mrs. Celine Ifeora
