By Kenneth Jukpor
In order to ensure compliance to health safety guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has assigned some officials to terminal operators and shipping companies.
According to the Council, this would guarantee the continuation of safe port operations for handling essential services as directed by President Mohammadu Buhari.
Recall that the Council earlier complained that most terminal operators and shipping companies didn’t provide working environs that support social distancing as well as basic precautionary measures such as hand washing equipments and sanitizers.
A press release signed by the management yesterday, said; “the Council has assigned its officers to the various shipping companies and terminals to assist in ensuring that all safety and health regulations issued by the authorities are strictly adhered to during these times”
“NSC cannot overemphasise the importance of all port users, particularly freightforwarders, conducting themselves responsibly and adhering to health guidelines as they go about their very essential business”
To ensure seamless port operations, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, during the daily COVID-19 briefing in the past week, referred to his conversation with the Executive Secretary of Shippers’ Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, in which it was confirmed that some banks had agreed to open for business in the Apapa axis for a limited number of hours in order to facilitate port operations.
The SGF explained that at the onset of the lockdown, banking halls had been marked out as potential risk zones for Covid19.
However, a review of that thinking became necessary when it emerged that banks had to open for people to pay custom duties and other charges.
Shippers’ Council has been engaging with all stakeholders under its purview to ensure that safety and health guidleines are strictly adhered to so as to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
