THE Port Consultative Council (PCC), yesterday, urged port operators to adhere to the newly-introduced Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) to ensure safety of cargoes.

PCC’s Chairman, Chief Kunle Folarin, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the action would further make Nigerian ports attractive to shippers.

“Let everybody pay what you have collected money for and deliver the service for which you have collected money for.

“If you do not want this methodology that costs money, tell us another methodology that does not cost money. Let those who are collecting money for services bringing cargo into Nigeria; for services releasing cargo to consignee.

“Tell us, what is the purpose of what you are collecting?

“What service is it for; simple, no quarrel; we are dialoguing. Let us hear you; administrative fee, amendment fee, so many fees. Let anybody that wants to collect it, collect that money, let him provide that service.

“If we get value for that service, we shall keep quiet; if we do not get value, we shall talk. But that service (CTN) is a must; if anybody is gaining from it unethically, we shall expose that person, we shall expose that organisation.’’

Folarin urged government agencies to prevent dangerous cargoes from entering the county in line with their legitimate duties.

“Can you go to Britain and they say they do not know what is coming into Britain? Can you do it in United Arab Emirate?

“Those countries that were not there when Nigeria was already there. Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is over 60 years, 1955 to now. I am supporting NPA because they are the owner of the ports; they must know what is coming into their ports.

“I am supporting Shippers’ Council because they are protector of the cargo; they must know what cargo is coming in. I am supporting NIMASA because they are controlling the labour and the environment of the port; they must know what cargo is coming.

“The Customs must also know what cargo is to be examined; if they want to examine. If they do know what is there and then people died and because they say we do not want to track the cargo. If they had loaded the explosives in Turkey coming to Lagos, then we shall know. Do we know when they are bringing the toxic wastes. And they say we should not track it, we are going to track these ones.”