SUMMIT: Stakeholders urge federal government to ensure adequate security of rail.infrasstructure against incessant attacks
SUMMIT: Stakeholders urge federal government to ensure adequate security of rail.infrasstructure against incessant attacks
Segun Oladipupo
Participants at a one-day Stakeholders summit organised by the nigerian Shippers’ Council in collaboration with Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Thursday urged the Federal Government to ensure the provision of adequate security of rail infrastructure to guard against incessant attacks, vandalization and thefts
The call was made as they x-ray the problems associated with functional rail system for the evacuation of cargo from the seaports
In a communique issued at the end of the event, stakeholders, having observed the bottlenecks to cargo evacuation from the port, unanimously arrived at some resolutions that can bring respite to clogs in movement of cargoes from the port
Some of the resolutions reached at the summit include; that the Federal Government should fast track the rehabilitation of narrow gauge and the development of the standard gauge rail system to ensure efficient cargo movement from the seaports to the IDPs;
Participants urged the general public to take advantage of the new Federal Government policy on private sector participation for the provision of rail services.
That the Nigerian Shippers Council should collaborate with critical stakeholders in order to enlighten importers and exporters on the operations of Inland Dry Ports in Nigeria.
°That Customs, NRC, NPA, NSC and the Terminal Operators (APMT, ABTL, ENL and GDNL) should synergize amongst themselves in order to solve the issue of right of way,
“Managing Traffic within the Port, Security, Documentation Process and other bottlenecks. Terminal Operators are advised to improve on provision of adequate cargo handling equipment:
“Terminal Operators and Shipping Companies were advised to be proactive in the evacuation of empty containers in order to decongest the Ports and improve cargo movement.
“Stakeholders were advised to take full advantage of the automation processes at the Port and 24hrs Ports Operations (Including Weekends) in order to improve cargo evacuation.
The organizers assured of their continued engagements with the critical stakeholders for the provision of efficient and cost effective rail services.
