Coronavirus: FG urged to place emphasis on all vessels and not Chinese alone

Segun Oladipupo

Critical stakeholder in the international trade in Nigeria has denounced the fear of drastic reduction in the volume of cargoes coming into the country following recent directive by the federal government restricting vessels from China coming into Nigeria.

The directive is in prompt response to the Coronavirus outbreak in the Asian country which has taken many lives and yet to have a cure.

Recall that most of the imports coming into the country are from China which has elicited fears that most of the industries in Nigeria may suffer due to perceived shortage of import into the country.

But speaking on the development, Prince Bakare Adeyinka, the President General of National Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC) said that the restriction would by no means reduce the volume of import into the country but that the government should place emphasis on all vessels coming into the country.

Adeyinka spoke with our correspondent on phone, Thursday in Lagos.

He called on the federal government to place restriction on all vessels coming to Nigeria because according to him, some vessels may be coming from China and carry out transhipment in another port for onward conveyance to Nigeria.

Prince Adeyinka maintained that it has become necessary for all the agencies in charge of health to be on their toes because of the rate at which the virus is spreading across the globe.

Speaking further, the NAFFAC boss waived the notion that the call for restriction on vessels coming from China and environs would have a negative impact on the volume of trade coming into the country.