Story by Dili Utomi.
A new round of brouhaha seems to be brewing within the already embattled Maritime sector of the Nigerian economy as stakeholders in the Transport sector are now up in arms with the authorities at the Nigerian Ports Authority over the establishment of new Export Processing
Terminals.
The Exporters and Transporters under the aegis of the the Association of West African Exporters and Maritime Professionals (AWAEMAP) represented by their president, Bunmi Olumekun who is also the president of the Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN), the Board of Trustees chairman of AWAEMAP, Inaolaji Rafiu and the Council of Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA) led by their president, Adeyinka Aroyewun and their Board of Trustees chairman, Maroof Raheem met to speak out on some crucial matters threatening to negatively affect their businesses.
They have in a press conference called out the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko for the proposal to have “One-Stop-Shop of all Government Regulatory Agencies to process all agro-export container boxes seeking access into the Apapa Ports and all other Port Complexes in Nigeria for shipment to various destinations across the world”.
The associations at the press conference at the COMTUA headquarters in Apapa explained that the kernel of the matter is the introduction of the new proposed Standard Operating System (SOP) meant for the One-Stop-Shop Terminal of agro-export containers called the Domestic Export Warehouse (DEWs) which will also serve as the only authentic pre-gate terminals.
The Exporters and Transporters lamented that “The resolution to introduce these warehouses would have been applauded if such decision is made to ensure the warehouses complement the already existing numerous customs licensed warehouses scattered all over the country. Rather the decision is to refuse entry into the Nigerian ports all over the country of any Agro- Export bound container that has not made use of these warehouses”.
They argue that the decision to introduce these Domestic Export Warehouses or DEWs would contravene the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act CAP 84 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 (‘the Customs Act”) especially Part IV, Section 82 which clearly makes provisions for the use of licensed warehouses including private warehouses for the purpose of processing export bound goods.
The Exporters and Transporters allege that the Md of the NPA partly owns 2 of the 5 Domestic Export Warehouses that will be licensed to handle all export and that this will go against the CEMA acts as well as being a conflict of interest as he is a public servant who should not be engaging in formulating policies that will privately benefit him and his cronnies. It is also alleged that these DEWs will cause a spike in the cost of doing business and comparatively make up to $200 higher difference between the cost of shipping a container of export goods from Nigeria and a neighbouring West African country. Again, they argue that this policy will most likely bring back the traffic lock jam around the Ports Access roads and that a lot of people will be thrown out of businesses and jobs.
We sought the reaction of the auhorities at the NPA and they sent us a four page document which reads in part “The need to address the unfriendly trade facilitation environment led to concern by the federal government, following which the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council PEBEC set as part of its agenda the need to streamline port operation to respond to the demands of trade facilitation. The idea of EPTS was not only accepted at the highest level of government but the PEBEC ensured that the relevant government agencies collaborated to birth a new, effective and efficient logistics and documentation procedure for export. The intention is to bring our export facilitation to acceptable best practices as well as providing regulated environment for quality control, product inspection certification, documentation and appending of requisite customs sealing and other regulatory endorsement for onward departure for shipment”.
Part of the NPA statement also added that “The fears being expressed are therefore misplaced except that the activities of middle men who have held the Nigerian export community captive over several years is about to be dismantled”.
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