Operators call for presidential assent to NTC Bill on transportation hiccups

Peterside, Bala Usman, others bag fellowship award

Industry experts and logistics practitioners have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the National Transport Commission (NTC) Bill, to solve the challenges in the nation’s transport sector.

The President of the Institute, Ibrahim Jubril, urged the government and the private sector to ensure the passage of the NTC bill, adding that there are enormous benefits in the passage of the bill, saying: “Definitely, the NTC will solve most of the problems in the commercial area because there is going to be a commercial regulator. We need more regulation in the industry so that we can have a more efficient transportation system that is compatible with other transport systems in the world.”

The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, and other stakeholders, who spoke at the inauguration of Council members of the Chattered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and investiture of Fellowship awards in Lagos, described the maritime sector and logistics as the driving force behind globalisation.

Dakuku said: “The maritime sector is all about movement of goods from one point to another, and this cannot be done without logistics. This is a confirmation of the fact that everything about trade and development depends solely on logistics.”Peterside, who spoke on behalf of other awardees shortly after the investiture of the Fellowship awards, assured that they would all work together to ensure the quick passage of the Act establishing the CILT, with the hope that the bill would be passed before the end of next year and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The NIMASA boss commended the leadership of CILT for their commitment to the development of the transportation sector, pledging that the new inductees will ensure that CILT is established on a sound footing in Nigeria and that capacity building of members will be made a priority.

Among the inductees were Peterside; the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman; and Managing Director, Creseda International Limited, Jonas Nilsson.

Jubril had pledged the commitment of CILT to the growth of the maritime sector in Nigeria, while emphasising the critical role of logistics in the actualisation of a robust maritime sector, saying the body will continue to partner with relevant agencies and stakeholders to make the sector viable and competitive.

Also speaking, the Director-General, Africa Centre for Supply Chain, Dr. Madu Obiora, appealed to the chief executive officers of all transport and logistics agencies in Nigeria to rally support for the passage of the transport chartered bill before the National Assembly.

The passage of the bill into law would provide job opportunities for Nigerians, as the transportation sector is the biggest contributor to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) of the economy, and also professionalise the sector for greater performance.

Obiora specifically called on Peterside; Bala Usman; and the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, to assist the logistics institute by engaging the executive and legislative arms of the government for the bill passage.He argued that passage of the bill will bring about standardisation and certification that would be acceptable to all the agencies in the sector and the National University Commission.

He continued, “The challenge in the industry is that everybody claims to be a professional, and to prepare itself for all these, CILT is working for the success of the sector,” and stressed the need for a database analysis of professionals to serve as a guide for intellectual capacity to the relevant agencies.