Sambo, Bello bags national honours

FORMER Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, and the former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr Hassan Bello were recently conferred with the national honours of Commander of the Order of the Niger and Officer of the Order of the Niger respectively by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Sambo who received the prestigious National Honours Award in Abuja, expressed his profound gratitude for the honour.

“I am humbled to announce that I have been conferred with the Prestigious National Honours Award of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

“This honour at this point in the history of our nation fills my heart with sincere gratitude, not only to me as a person, but a reflection of the tireless efforts and dedication of our team towards the progress and development of our dear nation, particularly in the transportation sector, within this short time.”

For Bello who served as NSC boss from 2013 to 2021, the OON award came on the heels of having completed two terms of eight years as the arrowhead of the nation’s Port economic regulator.

Under Hassan Bello’s watch, the NSC continuously battled port terminal operators over excessive port charges on cargo owners.

The several battles which sometimes led to court cases, resulted in more advocacy against increasing cost of doing business at the nation’s ports.

Bello also oversaw the formation of many task forces set up to look into various issues concerning extortion and bribery at the nation’s ports.

The National Transport Commission (NTC) Bill which seeks to establish an economic regulator in the nation’s transportation sub-sector gained prominence under Bello as NSC Boss.

The agency also became recognized as the Port Economic regulator under Hassan Bello’s watch. His doggedness in the face of intimidation led to many storage and demurrage waivers on cargoes by port terminal operators and shipping companies.