The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and business leaders in the maritime industry have all geared up for a one-day town hall meeting on cargo and port handling charges.

The town hall which holds on Wednesday,  March 8 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, will evaluate the cost and operational factors that make shippers patronise ports in neighbouring countries, a situation usually called ship diversion.

The development has compelled the Federal Government to ban the importation of vehicles through land borders in an attempt to prop up the fortunes of some private terminal operators some of whom have down sized their staff strength due to low patronage of the roll-on roll-off facilities.

They will be joined by the foreign shipping community which ships most of the country’s import and export cargoes. Its umbrella group, the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) with Chief Val Usifo as chairman will give the major shipping companies’ perspective on the state of terminal operations in Nigerian ports.

Speaking on the options before government on curbing what people call ship diversion,  Mr. Okey Ibeke, publisher of Business and Maritime West Africa magazine, organisers of the town hall, said contrary to its recent move in banning importation of cars through the borders, patronage should not be legislated.

“Rather, the informed views of terminal operators, providers of shipping services and shippers should be harnessed to design a veritable policy that will effectively address the issues. This town hall meeting is providing that platform and the recommendations will aid government and its relevant agencies to respond to the challenges with strategies that will endure”, Ibeke said.

The lead paper will be presented by the executive secretary of Nigerian Shippers’Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, with Princess Vicky Haastrup, chairperson of the Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), the group for the private companies that took over terminal operations from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) 10 years ago following up.

Papers will also be presented by the Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman, Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, MAN, LCCI and freight forwarding groups.

Arising from the presentations,  the forum will examine:

*The level of competitiveness of Nigerian ports

*Templates for port pricing

*Availability and efficiency of cargo handling equipment

*Impact of foreign exchange and fiscal policies

*Abuse of ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) Protocol by neighbouring countries.

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, who will chair the town hall meeting will deliver the keynote address.