Monday July 12, 2021 may have emerged a remarkable Day of Honour for Barr. Hassan Bello, the immediate past Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, as Maritime Stakeholders, especially those in freight forwarding, poured encomiums on him in Lagos. Bello in return campaigned for local governments’ ownership of ports.

Many commended him for his sincere commitment to the industry, some specially took note of his enduring friendliness and empathy to stakeholders’ pain, which frequently pitched him against those he believed were extorting shippers.

It was a great event, organised by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in recognition of Hassan Bello’s meritorious performance while he was in service, with even journalists publicly acknowledging his humility, diligence and visionary Ingenuity.

Speaking on the occasion, the Founder of NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Aniebonam emphasized that Bello truly performed excellently, to the admiration of stakeholders in the maritime sector.

Aniebonam particularly noted that Bello’s tenure as the ES/CEO, saw the development of Inland Dry Ports (IDP) across the country.

In his welcomed address, the President of NAGAFF, Chief Increase Uche described Bello as a gentleman who catalyzed productivity and development to the Nigerian Maritime Industry.

“Today, we are proud to host this event in honour of an unassuming gentleman who bestrode the Maritime Industry like the proverbial Colossus, initiating, ennobling and enabling growth, productivity and development to the Nigerian Maritime Industry especially harnessing the economic potentials of the Port Sector”.

Hassan Bello, appreciating the encomiums and imploring Stakeholders to fully support Emmanuel Jime, his successor

He observed that Barr. Hassan Bello came to the position of ES/CEO of NSC against the normal political run of the mill having been picked from the staff-list of the Council rather than externally; even though professionally attuned to the details of the Council’s mandate and properly prepared as a technocrat who rose from the ranks as a career officer.

“It is on record that the Ports concession of 2006 was part of the Federal Government’s reforms of the general economy with particular emphasis on the Maritime industry.

“The aim of the Port reform was to stimulate port efficiency, competitiveness, user friendliness, reduced port cost and optimise port productivity amongst others.

“Within the first three years of the post port concession era, there were remarkable and noticeable improvements in our ports operations but, from 2010 to 2013 the ports were characterized by uncertainties leading to ports congestion, traffic gridlock, high local shipping charges,

cargo diversion to neighboring ports, high handedness and arbitrariness by the service providers, long dwelling time of cargo at the ports, long waiting time of vessels, server failures and endemic corruption.”

Mr Increase Uche,  said the standard Bello had established in the leadership of the council may now be the barometer to measure any upcoming CEO of agencies in the maritime industry.

“There is every reason to celebrate a man who had demonstrated vision and accomplishment in various ways during his tenure in office.

“In the history of ports operation in Nigeria, Bello’s courageous efforts brought about immeasurable growth and development of the maritime industry.

“It can be rated as the highest so far and that is why NAGAFF after painstaking evaluation, is honouring him,” he said, adding that Bello performed his official duties with unswerving integrity and fearless determination, stressing that his forthrightness, humility, frank and honest attitude in relation to public matters stamps him as being destined for higher office responsibilities.

He further posited that Freight forwarders whose major functions include the linkage and bringing together of all the relevant parties involved in the process of international trade and cargo documentation chain was completely at the receiving end and grossly shortchanged without any rescue, until Hassan Bello came.

“It was the intervention of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) under the leadership of Barr. Hassan Bello from the middle of 2013 that provided respite to Freight Forwarders till date!” he said further.

He listed excellent works done by Barr Hassan Bello which became the tonic that reversed the ugly trend in industry as abrogation of all forms of illegal and unapproved charges by the terminal operators and shipping companies, which brought about immeasurable relief to shippers and Freight Forwarders.

“Promotion of inter-agency relationships to ensure synergy and collaboration amongst them and re-enforcement of the Complaint and Monitoring Unit of the Council for prompt response to complaints and grievances from users of port services and  constant stakeholders’ engagements and regular interface with relevant parties in the maritime logistics supply chain”, he also mentioned.

In his own contribution, the Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Barr. Samuel Nwakohu noted that, Barr. Hassan Bello would continue to be remembered for his services to freight forwarding, logistics and supply chain in Nigeria.

The Registrar who made this assertion during the reception held in honour of the former NSC boss by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos noted that Hassan Bello as a legal officer at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council played very strategic roles towards the emergence of the freight forwarding regulatory body, particularly, the CRFFN.

According to him, “When he eventually emerged as the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, he continued to support the freight forwarding cause throughout his tenure to the extent that he was the rallying point of many freight forwarders”, the CRFFN Boss who was represented by the Head, Education and IT, Barr. Alban Igwe, highlighted also.

He lauded Bello for understanding the critical role of freight forwarding to shippers and national economy and in particular, the role of freight forwarding in improving the logistics performance index and ultimately, national competitiveness.

“He is a good team player and maintained a very cordial relationship with CRFFN throughout his tenure. It is important to note that at the heat of the Covid-19 restrictions, Nigerian Shippers’ Council under his leadership provided the rallying ground for the Maritime Task Force which he voluntarily yielded the Chairmanship to my good self with the sole aim of providing maximum support to freight forwarders towards uninterrupted forwarding services.

Bello in his remarks, appreciated the encomium showered on him, and implored stakeholders to extend same to his successor, describing him in superlative terms.

Bello however, also campaigned for local governments’ ownership of ports, saying this would help local governments to push out their products and help generate income.

According to him, the Federal Government should not be burdened with owning ports as they should be saddled with improving the system and regulatory functions.

“Restructuring should not just be for the economy. There should be restructuring in the three tiers of government and this will ensure that local governments own ports.

“For instance,  Apapa Local Government should own Apapa port; this is how it’s been done in other climes, with Federal Government saddled with oversight function and security issues,”  he said.

On the issue of automation of the port system, he said that paperless transactions at the port was already happening as most terminals are doing 60 per cent and above, while a terminal is doing 100 per cent.

He urged the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to join the NSC to achieve automation of the port.

He explained that apart from automation, it was also very important to integrate all systems, to make things to be transparent and processes simplified which would breed competition in the port.

“Once we have digitalisation and port community system, then the linkages in revenue will be addressed and Nigeria will be the preferred destination port of cargo for shippers,” he said.

He said, gone are the days when freight forwarders were regarded as miscreant: “you will agree with me that the threshold has been passed; and we look at freight forwarders as critical partners in the maritime industry.

“I am happy there is a vast collaboration between NSC and critical stakeholders, no agency can succeed without stakeholders, and stakeholders relationship must be real and sincere, so we know what we get when our negotiation is mutual”.

Bello enjoined the media to be critical in their reports, saying, “the position we hold is not a family position, we are given the position in trust, so that the people of Nigeria will benefit. We are to execute what the government policy is”.

Mr Adeleye Ajayi, Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos chapter, in his goodwill message noted that Bello would be remembered for his quest in processing the container depot which was a landmark achievement.

The Vice President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA ), Dr Kayode Farinto, equally pointed out that Bello had added value to the council and turned it around from being passive to an active one.

Some of the numerous achievements of Hassan Bello include the  facilitation of Inland Dry Port, development of truck Transit Parks (TTP) and establishment of the Port Service Support Portal (PSSP).

He could also be unarguably hailed for the harmonised Industry Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Border Information Centres and significant reduction of charges, among others.