Harboursandport.com: Lagos---Federal Government has
directed shipping firms operating in Nigeria to ensure that ship manifests are
electronically transmitted to relevant stakeholders seven days before the
arrival of the vessel.
 |
| Executive Secretary of NSC, Hassan Bello |
Disclosing this over
the weekend in Lagos, Senior Special Assistant to the President on
Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said the Presidential
Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC, in its National Action Plan
in January, directed the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to look at the shipping
firms with a view to reducing dwell time and ultimately reduce cost.
Oduwole also said that
the policy is being proposed to make the ports operate seamlessly and
enhance wcross border trading.
She said “ The vice
President and the Central Bank of Nigeria have been working with about ten
minister that have critical role to play in the business environment.
“The effort is to make
the port operate as seamlessly as possible and enhance cross border trading.
“There are plans to
install scanners and establish a single window project .
“Whatever the policies
that the government may come up with, it is to assist shipping firms reduce
dwell time.
The new directive from
PEBEC is part of effort by the Federal Government to facilitate cargo clearance
at the nation’s ports and improve the ease of doing business in the country.
“What we are asking
for is global best practice and it is nothing beyond the shipping lines. They
operate in other climes and they have committed to us that they will indeed be
sending in the manifest as requested. We are going to work with customs
and the Shippers Council to make it easier for them.
We know there will be
hiccups but they have committed to doing that,” she said
Chairman, Shipping
Association of Nigeria, Val Usifor, while expressing the commitment of the
shipping companies to work with the government to improve ease of doing
business in the country, noted that the delay in the issuance of rotation
number by Customs is one of the bottlenecks that must be addressed.
He noted that the
average time it takes for an importer to get his container once a ship arrives
is 20 days, a situation he blamed on bureaucracies by government agencies at
the port.
He said, “We have
assured them (PEBEC) they will get the corporation they need. Once the
bottlenecks are addressed, these things can be done. The bottle necks are
created by the so many agencies in the port. Where you have people working for
the same government and in competition, things don’t move.
“The system has to be
fine -tuned. When the ship comes, it needs a rotation number from Customs. So
what has been agreed is that once the bulk of the manifest has been lodged and
it has a rotation
number, we are
suggesting that the rotation number should be maintained for cargoes that are
coming from way ports. For instance, if the ship passes through Cape Town, and
we have a lot of cargoes being transmitted from Cape Town, you don’t need to
give another rotation number, it is just adding to the manifest.
“Once it has rotation
number, as the manifest is transmitted electronically, the importer knows he
can starts processes his documents while waiting for the cargo to arrive.
“Shipping companies
are not interested in demurrage. Demurrage is unnecessary because if the system
works well and the importer is able to get his cargo on arrival within three
day, he does not need to pay demurrage.”
Earlier in his
remarks, Executive Secretary, NCS, Hassan Bello, said the Council has been
assigned to ensure and moderate the transmission of shipping lines manifest to
NPA and Customs before arrival of vessels to Nigeria.
He noted that is the
duty of the government to ensure conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive
in Nigeria, adding that the cooperation and support of stakeholders will help
move the industry forward.
“This meeting is
purposely to have stakeholders input. The business of enabling business
environment is very important and critical to the investment that we have. It
is always the aspiration of the government to manage that conducive atmosphere
so that the private sector will carry out its business squarely.
“And it is the
responsibility of the government to not only protect the investors but
guarantee return on investment and this could be done only by giving the
private sector the leverage and good atmosphere.
“The purpose of this
meeting is to know the challenges raised by the shipping companies and then
their request of what to do. We are also here to engage the stakeholders, shippers
in particular and shipping lines to discuss the ways which we can move
forward,” he said
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