07 October 2015, Lagos – The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello has said that proceeds from the Nigerian maritime industry can finance the national budget if the port operation is efficient.
Bello disclosed this in Lagos when he visited the Corporate Headquarters of Vanguard Newspapers, adding that if the government decides to close up the oil and gas industry, resources from the maritime sector can adequately cater for the needs of Nigeria’s economy.
He explained that the only way to make the port more efficient is for operators and stakeholders to obey the law.
“The maritime industry can finance the budget of this country every year, we can close down the oil and gas sector, and the maritime industry can sustain Nigeria.
“Somebody said that he had worked it out to be about N7 trillion per annum and I think that is under-estimation, since virtually all the revenue generated by Customs is from the maritime industry.
“So our focus is what the contribution of the maritime industry to the national economy in terms of infrastructure and employment.”
The Shippers’ Council scribe regretted that the port had become a place of extreme corruption.
, adding that the country can do without such corruption.
He also called on the government to up its own responsibilities by providing conducive atmosphere for the growth of the maritime industry in term of infrastructure.
- Vanguard
