From right: Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, CON and Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman during the 2nd edition of the maritime Stakeholders’ interactive forum tagged: “Implementation of Executive Order I (Ease of Doing Business) in a secure maritime environment” held in Warri, Delta State.
Foreign shipping companies operating in Nigeria have been accused of contravening Federal Government directive on holding bays for their empty containers. Maritime stakeholders yesterday in Lagos indicted foreign shipping lines of deliberately not having holding bays for their empty containers in order to defraud the nation’s economy. Speaking at the Nigerian Ports Authority quarterly stakeholders meeting held at the Rockview hotel in Apapa, said that despite letters written by NPA to the shipping firms more than six years ago, these companies bluntly refused to yield to the call.
Segun Oduntan, Chairman of the Tin-Can Island Chapter of the Association of Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, said that these shipping companies have formed a Cabal against the Nigerian port industry. Oduntan said that there is a cabal is gang up against the issue of container holding bays and warned the management of NPA not allow itself to be subdued by this cabal. The ANLCA chapter chairman noted that these shipping firms are just exploiting the uncoordinated port system being experienced in Nigeria
In the same vein, an officer of the Nigerian Navy, in charge of the traffic management at the port access roads, Commodore Okon Eyo disclosed that more than six years ago, a letter was written to the shipping firm to make arrangements for holding bays for their empty containers. Eyo said that almost seven years after, no shipping firm has constructed holding bay for this purpose. Eyo who gave an overview of the causes of the traffic gridlock in Apapa area of Lagos suggested that if the issue of holding bays for empty containers was not resolved, the trafiic situation in the port area will linger for a long time.
In her reaction to the development, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Hadeza Bala Usman said that shipping companies are meeting up with agency speed of operations. Usman who was represented by the Executive Director in charge of Marine and Operation in NPA, Mr Sekonte Davis said that the agency will not be deterred in the discharge of its duties. “We are giving them time to develop, their rate of development is not at a pace we anticipate, after much engagement, they have to do what is needful and everybody is now aware I believe that will spur them up to take the necessary action. We don’t want to give ultimatum but we want to give them opportunity to do it, we will quicken them in that regard.
Meanwhile the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, lashed by maritime stakeholders over multiple examinations of cleared cargoes, a development they say is impeding trade facilitation. Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Hadeza Bala Usman said that the action of the Customs Service is against the principle of trade facilitation and called on the leadership of the service to checkmate its officers at the ports.
Usman who was represented by Mr. Sekonte Davis, Executive Director at the NPA said that the action of the officers of the Customs Service was unacceptable and negates the Executive Order of the Federal Government and the Ease of Doing Business. The NPA boss disclosed that stakeholders are complaining of the excesses of the Customs at the ports adding that the Executive Order clearly explains Customs involvement in the examination of cargoes.
She explained that the cross checking import documents at the point of exit amount to delays and waste of time. A Deputy Controller of Customs who tried to put up a defence for the action said that no stakeholder can complain excepts there are infractions in the declaration of the content in the container. Similarly, Mr Segun Oduntan Chairman, Association of Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, said that cross checking at the gate of exit amount to double examination adding that until the issue of human interface was resolved, the fraudulent activities from both agents and Customs officers cannot be eliminated
