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Barge operators in Nigeria have said the economy could derive a lot of benefit from utilising barges to transport cargoes along the waterways.
The President, Barge Operators Association of Nigeria, Edeme Kelikume, stated this at a stakeholders meeting with the Nigerian Ports Authority in Lagos.
He said, ”We can authoritatively say that with the growth that the barge operation has achieved in the past one year, it has the capacity of moving between 20 to 40 per cent of the cargo throughput into and out of the port if given the right support and utilisation.
“The terminal operators can also fall in line and give more support to barge operators from the throughput perspective once the safety concerns have been adequately addressed.
“As we approach the export season and in line with the government’s agenda, it is also important that the terminal operators look for a way to carve out regions for barges to bring exports and empties directly to the port.”
Continuing, Kelikume who is also the Chief Executive Officer, Connect Rail Services Limited, noted that the country lost billions of dollars in 2018 due to the inability of goods to enter and exit from the ports.
He said although research had established that Nigeria has the capacity for $40bn exports, Nigeria was currently doing only $2bn exports.
“I believe that the biggest constraint in the country today is logistics, so if barge can provide the leverage, then it is only the national call for terminal operators to provide the necessary support to make this happen,” he said.
Maritime stakeholders set to honour late WISTA official
Stakeholders in the maritime industry are set to honour the late official of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association, Mrs Promise Anaroke, who died recently following a brief illness.
According to a statement from her family, stakeholders have set November 7 as the night of tributes to be held in Lagos.
Anaroke was a Board of Trustee member of MMS Woman of Fortune Hall of Fame initiative. She was also a member of the Women in Logistics and Transport , African Women in Maritime, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Nigeria, among others.
Following her venture into politics, she served as the Supervisor for Education, Oji-River Local Government Area, Enugu State between 2015 and 2017.
She was also the Lagos State Coordinator of Peoples Democratic Party, E-Women network, Enugu State Coordinator of Women 4 Women, among many others.
According to publisher of MMS Maritime magazine, Mr Kingsley Anaroke, Promise Anaroke’s remains will be laid to rest in Enugu State.
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