The Shippers’ Association of Lagos State has urged the Federal Government to repeal some unfriendly import policies to achieve the 48-hour cargo clearance target in Nigerian ports.
The president of the association, Mr Jonathan Nicol, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday.
Nicol said that documentation in the import and export value chain should be reduced to ease the procedure of clearing cargoes within 48 hours.
The shipper noted that massive diversion of Nigeria-bound cargo to other African ports had resulted in huge revenue loss to the country.
He assured that the association would work harder on some importers using ports in neighbouring countries to bring back their cargoes to Nigerian ports.
The shipper urged the Federal Government to put in place adequate and efficient port pricing mechanism to reduce the cost of doing business in Nigeria.
“This function (port pricing mechanism) is normally handled by the port economic regulator, which is the Nigerian Shippers’ Council,’’ Nicol said.
According to the shipper, the standard operating procedures should also be implemented as a working tool for all port operators.
“The Nigerian Transport Commission bill should be passed into law as soon as possible to bring calm to the industry.
“We strongly support the total cleansing of the maritime sector,’’ the shipper said.
He urged the federal government to make the port access roads motorable.
Discussion about this post