FACILITATION OF TRANSIT CARGO TO NEIGHBORING LANDLOCKED COUNTRIES

The Council took major steps to implement the Cotonou ll Round Table decision that enjoined coastal states to abide by the International Conventions on transport, transit traffic facilitation. In this regard, the Council encouraged relevant Nigerian agencies/organizations (Nigerian Ports Authority, the Nigeria Customs Services, the Road Transporters and Nexim Bank) to reach agreements with the representatives of shippers within Nigerian landlocked neighbours (e.g. Niger) to facilitate the passage of cargo to their country.

As part of this activities, the Council provides office space to her counterpart from Niger (Counseil Nigerien Des Utilsateurs Des Transports Publics) for smooth execution of the agreement.

This is in line with the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) number 8.

CONSULTATIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS

As part of her functions, the Council held consultations and negotiations with various stakeholders in the transport sector on behalf of the shippers in Nigeria. This includes:

1. Negotiation of haulage rates with the Joint Action Committee of Truck Owners (JACOTO) 1998 which led to the removal of some problematic checkpoints and thus facilitated the movement of goods.
2. The Council in 2006 had negotiations with truck operators [National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and Joint Action Committee of Truck Owners (JACOTO)] and obtained concessions of 33% (30,000/TEU) as against the proposed
   41.3,000/TEU, and 31% (37,000/TEU) as against (1.31.3,000 proposed by NARTO for users of Truck Services.
3. Consultations with the RORO Port Working Committee on the security of cargoes in the port with a view to achieving the 24-hour service at the port.
4. Consultations with Nigerian Committee on Trade Procedures (NITPRO) under the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) on issues that affect international trade facilitation procedures.
5. Negotiations with Nigeria Custom Service (Apapa and Tin Can Island Commands) on the issue of transit permits for Burkinabe importers using Nigeria as transit ports.
6. The Council brought Europe West African Trade Agreement (EWATA) to the negotiation table through the auspices of UASC against any unilateral increase in freight rate and other port surcharges in the future.

This is meant to protect Nigerian shippers and the Nigerian economy at large against any illegal extortions imposed through EWATA’s and any other service providers’ unilateral increase on freight rate or service charges in the country.

The Council through UASC has succeeded in finally getting EWATA to a negotiation table to discuss their unilateral increase in freight rate and ports surcharges which has been injurious to users of shipping services in Nigeria and some countries in the West and Central African sub-region. If these efforts are successful the loss of 444,388,876,724.00 experienced by users of shipping services in Nigeria between 2003 – 2006 due to the EWATA charges will be averted in future.

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