EODB: Stakeholders want offenders sanctioned

Harboursandport.com: Lagos --- Stakeholders have called on the Federal Government to impose sanctions on perpetrators who are barriers to trade in the maritime industry as against government policy on the “Ease of Doing Business”.

President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Mohammedu Buhari

The stakeholders made this known in a communiqué at the end of a lecture organized by an online media, Primetime Reporters with the theme “The Gains And Challenges Of The Presidential Order On Ease Of Doing Business In The Nigerian Maritime Sector One Year After.”

They stressed that need for government to be serious and punish perpetrators who are barriers policy on the “Ease of Doing Business.”

The stakeholders in the communiqué listed some of the barriers as:

“That the 24-hour port operation has not fully succeeded, due to some perceived challenges including the non-availability of some key government officials to effectively carry out their duties and responsibilities and the fact that stakeholders (importers/clearing agents etc.) do not work 24hrs for security reasons.

Managing Director NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman

“That the single window operation is not yet operational despite the fact that Nigeria started the project before Ghana.

“That the issue of physical examination of goods at our ports is also a major challenge as it encourages sharp practice and delay in doing business.

“That frequent breakdown and malfunctioning of scanners also delay the evacuation of goods from the ports.

“That too much documentation associated with export process is said to be affecting the export business in the country.

“That the mounting of unapproved road blocks and harassment of cargo, truckers out of our various ports by Customs Officials such as the x-squad, CG Task Force, FOU and other security agents is also a major challenge to trade facilitation; as such check-points have increased tremendously

“That the alarming high cost of doing business in our various seaports as a backlash, as it encourages inflation of goods and services as well as encourages unemployment as most shippers divert their goods to the ports of

neighbouring countries.

“That negative government policy, such as higher tariffs with specific mention of the auto policy has encouraged sharp practice among both government officials and stakeholders encourage smuggling of vehicles as well as a drastic reduction of government revenue.

“That the management of the Nigerian customs Service (NCS) emphasis on revenue drive, to the detriment of trade facilitation, has done more damage to the Nigerian economy, despite the World Trade Organization (WTO) advice on trade facilitation for growth,” amongst others.

On the way forward, they advised "That the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) should task the contractor handling the 2 kilometers Apapa port access road to speed up the construction.

"That the Management of The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) should be more interested in trade facilitation instead of raking in higher revenue.

"That goods should be examined electronically that is with the aid of scanners as it would speed up the process of cargo evacuation and reduce sharp practice.

"Government should also speed up the parking bay being constructed in Tincan Island port and set up other trucking bays to reduce the gridlock in Apapa.

"That key stakeholders in the maritime sector should be consulted before important policies and laws are being formulated, to avoid weak and poor policy implementation.

"That government should strengthen their various institutions and agencies so that they can effectively control, sanction and reward stakeholders who may

breach such ethics.

"That the remuneration and working condition of all government officials should be improved, to drastically reduce sharp practice among such officials.

"That government should also develop seaports in other parts of the country, to encourage business activities in these areas," amongst other suggested measures.