The Managing Director of The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) , Ms
Hadiza Usman has said that the organisation is implementing its own
part of the Presidential Order on the Ease of Doing Business(EODB) at
the Nigerian Seaports and will continue to do so.
The NPA managing director made this declaration when a delegation of
the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) led by its
Acting National President, Dr Kayode Farinto visited her in Lagos and
complained that some government agencies were flouting the
Presidential directive.
The Order streamlined the activities of all agencies in the nation’s
ports to achieve a 24-hour cargo clearance target.
Farinto had first lauded the NPA Managing Director for the limited
successes she has achieved through her collaboration with some
security agencies in bringing some level of sanity to the chaotic
traffic situation in the Ports Access roads, thereby making way for
other road users..
The Federal Government had directed NPA to take charge of the
coordination of the implementation of the Ease of doing business at
the Nigerian Ports but ANLCA felt everything has been quiet
concerning the issue.
This made Dr Farinto to suggest that ANLCA is capable and willing
to assist NPA in enforcing the order , using their Chapters structure,
if NPA officially intimates stakeholders, especially ANLCA.
According to ANLCA, inactivation of the EODB, has made the Ports home
to several agencies that extort Licensed Customs Agents, especially
during cargoes examination, escalating cost of transactions, delays
and sometimes totally obstruct cargo delivery processes, thereby
compounding the operational challenges in the Ports.
“NPA is implementing its own part of the Order. We cannot compel other
agencies to do what they are supposed to do,’’ she said .
She further said in her response to the poser by ANLCA that it was
regrettable that some agencies had not fully complied with the Order
but stated that she would seek the intervention of Vice President,
Prof Yemi Osinbajo over the issue if ANLCA would direct its complaint
in writing to her office.
Usman reiterated that the authority would continue to fulfill its own
part of the Order, adding that NPA could however not compel other
agencies to do what they were supposed to do.
She noted that aggrieved stakeholders should also report the
defaulting agencies to the appropriate authorities.
The National Vice President of ANCLA, Dr Kayode Farinto also urged
the managing director to intervene to ensure that officials of the
Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine are prevented from entering the
ports.
Farinto also made an appeal that NPA should ensure that the newly-
constructed temporary Truck Park at Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) is put
to immediate use.
