THE Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria(ICAN) has praised the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) for restoring sanity back at Nigerian ports, urging the agency to put the nation’s port among the best in the world.
The institute made this call on Tuesday when its leadership paid a courtesy visit to the NSC in Lagos.
Speaking during the visit, the President of the Institute, Ismaila Zakari urged the Council to ensure that Nigerian ports become the number one port in Africa and the whole world.
The ICAN President who was represented by Dame Onome Adewuyi explained that the responsibilities of the Council are very critical to the development of the economy of the nation.
According to Zakari, “Listening to the Executive Secretary of the Shippers Council, we have learnt a lot of things about the council. We now know that you are very critical to the survival of this country that is import dependent.
We want to say please continue to push and let the ports in Nigeria be the number one ports in Africa and indeed the world.
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Let us be another Singapore and a hub in Africa that everybody will like to come and do business”
He also applauded the council for the good job done in reforming the Nigerian ports saying that it has improved patronage of Nigerian ports by importers.
“Several years ago, Nigerians go to neighbouring ports like Cotonou to clear their cargos due to the challenges we have in the ports; but we don’t hear that anymore.
I want to give credit to the NSC because the agency has worked on all the bottlenecks that we have at the ports,” the ICAN President stated.
He also announced that the Institute is now represented on the world accounting body, thereby representing Nigeria and Africa on the global scene.
Responding, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr Hassan Bello, who was represented by the Director Inland Services, Mr Akin Makinde appreciated the Institute for finding time to visit the agency and find out about its operations.
In his words, “Thank you for finding out time to come here.
we pride ourselves with the quality of staff that we have.
We have been able over the years to boast of capability because we ensure that we put in place the necessary staff with all the necessary qualifications to do the needful.
Because of the quality of work we do in the Nigerian economy, we ensure we have the high qualified manpower, who some are members of ICAN.”