Shippers’ Council seeks removal of trade barriers in Africa
Hassan Bello, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), on Friday called for the removal of trade barriers in Africa.
Bello made the call at the inauguration of a new Executive Working Committee of West African Road Transport Union (WARTU) in
Lagos.
According to him, transport generates substantial part of the countries’ revenue.
He said that this required integration, harmonisation and standardisation in the operations of transporters.
“This is the reason this meeting is being held because the volume of trade within the African sub-regions is not much.
“The volume of trade within the Central Africa region is one per cent, compared with that of Europe which stands at 70 per cent.
“We need to look at ways of improving trade within the sub-regions and there are so many things to trade on among us, “ NAN quotes Bello as
saying.
He said that Nigerian trade was supported by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) laws and protocols which had been
guiding the effective operation of trade in the sub-region.
The NSC boss said that the council had been playing a critical role in ensuring that institutions and bodies were supported one way or
the other.
He commended the National Road Transport Owners (NARTO), for its involvement in the series of laudable activities, adding that the
union had the capacity and capability to put things in place.
Bello expressed the readiness of NCS to give the newly-inaugurated committee the necessary support and encouragement to meet the committee’s aspiration.
In his inaugural address, the President of WARTU, Mr Ogbogo Aloga, commended the NSC for the perfect operation of its role as the
economic regulator in ensuring a level-playing ground among
stakeholders.
Alogo said that the role of transportation in African sub-regions could not be over emphasised, adding that this necessitates the inauguration
of the working committee of WARTU.
“This is a welcome development because trade within the sub-region is already moribund and requires urgent restructuring to
boost the inter-regional trade relationship.
“The integration that is coming now is very important because it will also increase trade on the African corridor and remove barriers among the
countries,’’ NAN quotes Alogo as saying.
He said that newly inaugurated body was set to address issues affecting trade such as communications, security, exchange rate, among
others.
Alogo said that the WARTU had been inaugurated before now, adding that now that the body had been properly resuscitated, the eight-member committee would work very hard to improve trade in African sub-regions.
(NAN)