Though the Federal Government has approved a reduction in the unnecessary documentation for imports and exports at the nation’s seaports, stakeholders in the maritime sector have lamented that the directive is yet to be implemented at the seaports.
The Presidential Enabling Committee on Ease of Doing Business (PEBEC) was constituted by President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2016 and chaired by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to ensure that import and export processes are hitch-free.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade, and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, had said in April 2017 that directives have been issued to the Finance Ministry and the Comptroller-General of Customs.
She said the government has also issued some directives on palletisation of goods coming to Nigeria and on the amount of documentation saying that “we want to save cost and time for SME’s and anybody exporting or importing into Nigeria”.
“So documentation for imports has been reduced from 14 to 8 and exports from 10 to 7, and this is with immediate effect.”
Part of the submission of the committee is that documentation process for export is now reduced from 10 to 7 while for all imports; documentation is now from 14 to 8.
President of Shippers Association Lagos State (SALS); Rev. Jonathan Nicole said that one month after the resolutions was announced, Shippers are still going through the old rigorous process of cargo clearance at the port.
He consequently charged the Customs headquarters to communicate the resolutions to the various Customs commands so as to make it a working document at all seaports and border posts.
Nicole noted that without an official circular emanating from the Federal government to the Customs and to the commands, the PEBEC resolutions would be on paper but not implemented.
A licensed customs agent; Chukwuemeka Shedrack noted that Customs cannot implement any government directive if it is not communicated in writing.
“You must pass circulars to them, and they would be looking at that circular and even if they don’t want to implement it, we the stakeholders would be able to challenge them that there is circular to that effect.”
“When there is no circular, the customs cannot work and stakeholders would not be able to ask question. There must be a working document to back them up and on which importers can monitor.”
“If the government has announced something, let them make it a working document and then send people to monitor it” he stressed.
Aviation Containers trapped at Lagos Ports
About 285 containers carrying aviation sector equipment, belonging to the Federal Ministry of Transportation are reportedly trapped at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) – Tin Can Island and the Apapa Ports.
This was coming on the heel of the call by the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on the National Assembly to investigate the Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service and the Apapa Command for their failure to ensure that overtime containers are stemmed to government warehouse at Ikorodu.
It was gathered that contracts were awarded by the past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan for the Ministry of Aviation to procure and install conveyor belts, construction of Hajj and Cargo Terminals at Nigerian airport in 2012 for the upgrading and remodeling of all airports in Nigeria.
However, since the arrival of the containers in 2013, the assigned clearing agent company; Messers Veetek Maritime Services Limited could not clear the cargoes.it was learnt that four of the containers are allegedly trapped at Apapa Port, while the rest were lying at Tin Can Island port.
The containers carrying various items including; tent accessories with ceramic tiles of hi-cube and open top prefabricated house, Conveyor belts, conveyor belt accessories, counter accessories, seating accessories among others.
But, a letter of appeal for the release of the containers dated October 14, 2016, was written and signed by the permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry, Alhaji Sabiu Zakari and addressed to the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The ministry, in the letter, states that “as a result of the long stay of the consignments at the ports, the service has labelled them as overtime cargoes which could be auctioned at any time. Furthermore, you may which to be informed that the contractor have concluded works on the substructures of the terminals and are ready for the installation of the conveyor belts and other fabricated materials”
“In view of the importance of the projects to the economy and image of the nation in the eyes of foreigners visiting the country, kindly use your good office to direct the release of the containers for clearance and conveyance to various sites.”
The Chairman of Ikorodu Chapter of ANLCA, Prince Jimoh Lawal expressed disappointment in the Tin Can and Apapa Customs for not ensuring that the containers are transferred to Ikorodu.
“The Customs has right to move containers to anywhere. A lot of containers that have been approved by the Zonal Cordinator Zone ‘A’ are still rotting away at the port”
He alleged that the Controllers of the Tin Can and Apapa Command of Customs are always reluctant to approve containers and to prevail on terminal operators to transfer containers to Ikorodu terminal, saying that it is all in an effort to kill the Ikorodu lighter terminal.
The spokesperson of the Tin Can Island Command of Customs, Mr. Uche Ejesieme said that the customs was still investigating the situation.
The Apapa Command’s spokesperson, Nkiruka Nwala said that it is not the duty of the customs to transfer containers out of the port.
According to her, “The duty of the customs is to write to the terminal operators to release the containers which are overtime containers, but it is not the duty of customs to transfer such containers, it is the duty of the terminal operators to follow the letter written by Customs”
“The best Customs could do is to give the containers escorts whenever they are being transferred, the FOU will escort the containers”
“But you also must know that some of the terminal operators have alleged that some importers deliberately leave their consignment inside the terminal waiting for it to be transferred to Ikorodu as overtime. Whenever the container is transferred to Ikorodu, the importer does not pay the duty again, and you know that terminal operators are in business to make money”
“So we can only write to them, they are the ones that know where the containers are. Currently, we have started positioning containers meant for e – auction just to ensure that what is on paper tally with what is onside the container. It is the terminal operator that positions these containers for us and they take it back” she said.
SIFAX denies warehousing seized Pump-Action Rifles
An Indigenous terminal operator, Ports & Cargo has denied media report that 440 Pump Action Riffles found at the Tin-Can Port complex by the Nigeria Customs Service was found in its premises.
The terminal operator in a press statement by the Corporate Affairs Manager, Muyiwa Akande said report that the arms- filled container was found in their terminal was totally false.
“The attention of the management of SIFAX Group has been drawn to a false news report being circulated by some online news media to the effect that a container load of arms was intercepted at a subsidiary of our company, Ports & Cargo Terminal, Tin Can Island Port, Lagos.
“Let me quickly put on record that the news report is totally false, untrue and misleading. Our findings have shown that the said container was released from another terminal and was headed for an Off-Dock terminal, before it was intercepted by the Nigerian Customs Service on the port access road close to our terminal. Ports & Cargo terminal doesn’t own the port access road and how we are linked to this beats our imagination.”
“It is quite unfortunate that these media organizations published the false news report without making the slightest effort to balance it with our own side of the story.
“We enjoin members of the press to uphold the highest standards of professionalism in the discharge of their duties in order to avoid the error of misinforming the unsuspecting members of the public.
NPA launches rims for improved revenue, receives 25 new armoured vehicles
The Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has declared that the implementation of newly launched Revenue and Invoice Management System (RIMS) is meant to improve both revenue generation and Ports operations using real-time modern methods and technics.
Speaking, at the Go-live and launching of the (RIMS) at the Eko Hotel Lagos, the Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman said that the platform is a full convergence system which helps to integrate business in the Ports Industry through the use of internet based devices.
Explaining this to stakeholders, Usman pointed out that as ever desired by NPA’s management, RIMS would block revenue leakages amongst transparent operational procedures which would not only strengthen the processes of operation but emphasize the exclusion of unnecessary human interface in doing business at the Ports.
According to the Managing Director, the Customer Portal “will further provide a platform for our clients to fast track transactions at the Ports and communicate with Management seamlessly.It is pure improved customer service delivery and a base for enhanced operational efficiency”.
She added that this will further enhance progress on the Single Window Platform with strategic automation in conjunction with the Nigeria Customs Service.
The Executive Director Finance and Administration, Mohammed Bello Koko highlighted the fact that the platform would enhance profitability and assure uniform tariff rates across all Port locations. He said the user-friendly portal would also enhance accuracy and completeness of documentation.
The Executive Director Marine and Operations, Dr. Sokonte Huttin Davies, who also spoke at the event, called for sustained synergy amongst Stakeholders with information sharing being the theme in order to achieve milestones in the sector.
According to him, excellence is the target and all hands must be on deck to attain that status. He further said, “together we shall make things work”.
The event is one of the numerous efforts that the NPA’s Management is harnessing so as to make the Authority “a model agency” as they had desired at inception. It would be recalled that in 2015 an introductory platform of RIMS was launched to the appreciation of Stakeholders. The event in the front burner today is a sustained attempt at continuity of purpose.
Meanwhile, the Honourable Minister of Defence, Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (Rtd.) has received 25 Mine Resistance Ambush Protected Armoured vehicles which were manufactured in 2016 in the United Arab Emirate (UAE). This equipment, he added are meant to further checkmate the remnant of Boko Haram in the Northern Eastern axis of the Nation.
Commending the Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority for their continuous support and seamless synergy with Government, especially with the quick clearance of the vehicles, Gen. Dan-Ali (Rtd.) said though the insurgency have largely been defeated, but that this 4×4 military hardware would further help to push them out of their various hideouts.
The Minister of Defence said 60 more of the armoured vehicles would arrive the Tin-Can Island Ports, Apapa in a few months from Jordan in the Middle East.
Similarly, the Minister of Defence, Gen Dan-Ali (Rtd) accompanied by the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin has received the visiting Indian Navy Ship (INS) Tarkash (Vanguard of Victory) at the Tin-Can Island Port.
The Warship which was piloted by Capt. Rituraj Sahu is visiting Nigeria on a routine Military exercise.
Also, aboard the vessel among several Indian Naval Officers and Ratings is the Head of Mission, Capt. Guatam Marwaha who said the Warship would sail to Angola a country they hope to arrive by the 8th of June, 2017 at the completion of their mission in Nigeria.