The president of Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS), Rev. Jonathan Nicole has advised stakeholders in the maritime industry to play their parts well so as to avoid problems in the sector even as the association has declared January 30 as Shippers Day.
He said this immediately after the Annual General meeting of the association held in Lagos, recently.
Nicole said that the industry was a component of different arms adding that they were preaching the gospel of oneness, understanding one another and adding that everybody should play his part the way it should be.
“We don’t want people to encroach on the rights of other party and by the time we know what we need to do at the right time, we all will not come with different stories when we call for a very big conference of the maritime industry.
“We also agreed that on 30th of January, there will be the shippers’ day and this will be celebrated into the future.”
He added that new members were joining the association thereby making the ranks and file of the association to grow.
Speaking further, he said the outgoing year was full of activities which had given the association some acceptance for the first time since it was established even as he said that they were working with other associations to engender the kind of maritime environment the industry deserves.
According to him, efforts are in top gear to create the awareness for the association and the relevance of the members of the association as the association is working very hard in close relationship with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and other relevant stakeholders so that everybody could sing the same song.
On the Federal High Court dismissal of the terminal operators and shipping line agencies case,he said the verdict was a victory was for all Nigerians even as he commended the judge for his boldness to deliver the judgement to the favour of the masses.
Asked if the plaintiffs appeal the case, he advised that it is not always good to go to court as he added that the terminal operators and shipping agencies knew that what they were doing was not good enough and would not expect them to go to appeal court.
SALS was a joint defendant in the just concluded case at the Ikoyi Federal High Court.
