Executive order: Stakeholders agree to achieve Ease of Doing Business in Nigerian ports
As we draw closer to the deadline for the take-off of the new Executive Order on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ at the ports recently signed by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, industry stakeholders have agreed to join hands and achieve efficient service delivery in the nation’s seaports.
This was the major outcome of the stakeholders meeting held last week between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and heads of all government agencies operating in the ports, and between the NPA and the service providers.
The Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business at port were designed to address issues such as touting and trespassing; soliciting and receiving bribes; Having single interface for cargo clearance and coordinated operations; capture, track and record information on all goods arriving and departing Nigeria; dedication of existing terminal for export of agricultural produce and re-introduction of 24-hour port operations.
Responding to questions from newsmen after the meeting, Olayiwola Shittu, national president of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) disclosed that all stakeholders including freight forwarders and Licensed Customs Agents have agreed to do their bid towards making doing business easier for port users.
“I had the opportunity to be in a meeting of stakeholders on Ease of Doing Business at ports. It’s been an obligation for business transaction in our ports to even meet 10 percent of the international best practices. The basis for all the discussion hinges on corruption starting from the importer, who is not compliant and would not declare correctly, to the security agencies, who are not supposed to allow that to happen but take advantage of that to enrich themselves,” Shittu said.
“This cut across to the freight forwarders and Customs Licensed Agents, who also see the lapses and help themselves to get rich. So, what we have all been doing is wrong. Now, there is a Presidential Order that says the way we are going is wrong but let’s redress our footsteps to follow the way it’s done abroad that enabled their economies to grow.
The ANCLA boss further disclosed that all the parties have agreed to give it a chance and work towards it so that ‘we will have the Ease of Doing Business in our ports’.
On the role of port concession, Shittu said port concession has improved doing business at the port. “We cannot compare what is happening now to what used to happen 10 years ago. We have faster movement of cargo and more cargo handling equipment but the main challenge has been the human aspect.
Shittu noted that unlike in Nigeria, port operation in the developed world is done using one-stop-chop or electronic processes such that even in the comfort of the importer’s office, he or she can clear his or her cargo and get it released. “Over here, we are still be-laboured with manual processes that creates interface for human interaction, bargaining and extortion. The government agencies were also given excessive power of discretion, which ends sometimes in extortion. Meaning that what everybody is doing is a little to the government and some to our pockets.
In their views, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarder (NAGAFF) said in a statement issued over the weekend and signed by Stanley Ezenga, national publicity secretary, the port system does not really require Executive Orders to become efficient if only the agencies of government at the ports are proactive in discharging their duties.
Pointing to the fact that the deplorable state of roads leading to Lagos and Onne seaports are undeserving for Nigerian economic gateways especially at a time when achieving competitive and friendly ports are on the front burner, Ezenga blamed the heads of government agencies in-charge of reconstruction of infrastructure for the failure.
“Mr. President needs to urgently re-appraise the performance index of heads of government agencies whose duty is detailed at the gateways of the nation’s economy. Also, NAGAFF encourages the government to ensure that its agencies are duly funded to give them the necessary impetus to discharge their responsibilities.
Ezenga, who observed that all the above mentioned issues contained in the order were not new, added that NAGAFF as well as other stakeholders expect government agencies to engage them in a massive enlightenment campaign that would enable them join in working towards friendly and competitive ports.
He also advised the importers, exporters and freight forwarders to strive and be compliant to trade guidelines, which would also enhance trade facilitation.
According to him, there is need to distinguish between bribery and extortion. “The case in Nigerian ports is usually extortion and we must begin to have a paradigm shift from the ‘pranks’ that government agents usually engage in to short change the same Government they were supposed to be protecting.
Uzoamaka Anagor-Ewuzie