The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called for an urgent intervention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the removal of the numerous police checkpoints at the ports for the interest of the economy.
The chamber said this in a communiqué signed by the Director General of LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, after its bimonthly meeting held recently in Lagos a copy of which was sent to Shipping Position Daily.
According to him¸ the chamber is concerned over the role of maritime police in the clearance of cargo at Lagos ports stressing that there have been frequent reports of obstruction of cargoes by maritime police even when the cargoes have been released with the authorities charged with the responsibility of cargo examination.
The LCCI said that the involvement of maritime police in the cargo release is a needless duplication that is causing avoidable delays and huge demurrage payment by importers.
“The LCCI is concerned over the role of maritime police in the clearance of cargo at Lagos Ports. There are reports of frequent obstruction of release of cargo by Maritime police even when the release has been duly authorized by statutory agencies charged with the responsibility of cargo examination”
It however said that the frequent blocking of cargos by maritime police is undermining th ease of doing business policy of the federal government.
“The involvement of maritime police in the cargo release process is a needless duplication, causing avoidable delays and huge demurrage payment by importers. Already the port police are involved in the examination and release of cargo at the ports. The frequent blocking of cargo by the maritime police is undermining the ease of doing business policy of the federal government”
“Before cargoes are released DSS and Port Police, are security agencies that authorize release of cargo. The interception of cargo by the maritime police is a contravention of the presidential Executive order on ports processes. The LCCI calls on the Inspector General of Police to urgently intervene to redress the situation in the interest of the Nigerian economy”
The LCCI also lamented what it termed as the disruption that the numerous customs units are creating for importers both within and outside the ports adding that the practice is also a negation of the ease of doing business agenda.
“The LCCI seek the urgent intervention of the federal government to stop the disruption that the numerous customs units are creating for importers, within and outside the ports. This practice is a negation of the ease of doing business agenda of the government and it is hurting investors. Delays lead to huge demurrage paid by importers to shipping companies and Terminal operators. It also affects the production cycle of manufacturers with implications for cost escalation”
The group decried delay in the issuance of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports (PAAR) to importers even as he added that it creates bottlenecks which make it vulnerable for corrupt practices, even as it charged the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hammed Ali(Rtd) to investigate the incessant delays in the release of the PAAR.
“The LCCI has received reports of undue delay in the issuance of Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) to importers. The delays create bottlenecks which make the PAAR administration process vulnerable to corrupt practices”
“The LCCI therefore calls on the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs to investigate incessant delays in the release of PAAR and the associated transparency issues. Delays cause high demurrage charges both by shipping companies and the terminal operators. These constitute additional cost to business. LCCI urges the CG Customs to quickly look into this problem”, it concluded.
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