Mr. Jonathan Nicol is the President of Shippers Association Lagos State (SALS). Following the flag-off of the Kaduna Inland Container Depot, he speaks on the potentials of ICDs in Nigeria and the crucial role of shippers in ensuring it succeeds.
Excerpts:
How would you describe what you’re seeing here today?
You know we have always advocated for a change because we are actually in this world to continue making progress. When you see someone making progress, then you give him kudos for his hardwork and this is a noteworthy achievement. For all those who came together to think of setting up this project, it’s a thing of joy for the Nigerian maritime industry. We can now have a working Inland Container Depot (ICD) outside the Apapa ports. We are supporting it and we thank God for this glorious moment, even as we hope that more ICDs will emerge, so it is a good thing indeed.
Since it’s a good thing; can you give highlight of what you think the benefits are?
First of all, our ports have been congested especially if we have cargoes from land-locked countries like Niger, rather than using trucks from Tin-Can or Apapa, you will load them on trains. Of course, it will save our roads, save the drivers from moving from one end of the country to another, improve clearing periods and also create jobs for people in Kaduna state. It is a way of development because Nigeria is moving from a tight corner to a relaxed position in the maritime trade. A whole lot would be improved as this would have a ripple effect on the supply chain in Kaduna but it has to be supported by everyone, especially Apapa and Tin-Can stakeholders.
What will be the role of Shippers Association in this?
As Cargo producers, already we are saying that factories outside Lagos should patronize the railway because it is even more expensive to truck your loads or raw materials from Lagos to Kaduna or hinterlands. So this time around if we have a working railway system most people would take advantage of it to bring in their goods because it’s shorter, cheaper, and some of these bottlenecks will be removed.
Shippers will be happy to intensify their jobs in generating cargos to meet up with all the facilities, provided that the government gives us relaxed policies because the bottom line is for people to make profit. If you bring in cargo and you have to transfer them all the way to Kaduna but at the end of the day you don’t make up to five percent (5%) profit, then you should know that it would not work. We are also talking to the press to help us pass this information to the government to relax some of the policies because the beneficiary is actually the government.
We haven’t seen the revival of the rail in Apapa that will link to the North and some other states, what is your opinion on this?
Apapa is the key supply point and that should be given priority. If the Apapa rail line works, then every other thing would work but if there is no rail system linking to Apapa, it means you have to convey the container from Apapa through trucks to wherever the railway system starts from. However, it is not good for us to start using trucks to convey containers from maybe Apapa to Ijora for instance, and then load. Of course, you know the facilities would not be there. Apapa rail system should be refurbished as soon as possible because that is the starting point for ICDs because without the railway it won’t work, it will be so difficult.
When we had Peugeot automobile, they provided so much work for the transporters and that was how a lot of them also lost their lives because some of them didn’t sleep in the night before they offload and go back. I had to ensure that my truck drivers don’t drive from Lagos to Kaduna and come back the same day and as soon as you return, you get two days break.
We have to think about the life-span of our workers and we mustn’t shy away from Apapa and Tin-Can rail. There has to be railway to Tin-Can and Apapa because these are the key points where the ICDs should start from. If we are getting goods from Niger Republic and the government is thinking of using Tin-Can port as the transit port and we don’t have rail facility there. So, there has to be a rail facility and the government has to sit down and plan it. This is achievable and it should be the starting point for the success of ICDs.
