Fresh indications have emerged that the government agencies that were recently ordered out of the port by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Hadiza Bala Usman have refused to vacate the port.
In a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday, a clearing agent who came out of the Tin Can Island Second gate said that the agencies are still very much inside the port, especially, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
The agent, Mr. Sunny Nnebe who is a member of the International Freight Forwarders Association (IFFA) said that the eviction is only on paper, but it is not being implemented.
He told our correspondent that five containers carrying super glue were currently being detained by both SON and NAFDAC inside the port for various allegations.
Nnebe also alleged that SON and NAFDAC usually collect samples from containers but they never return same. He alleged that they share importers foods amongst themselves in the name of sample taking.
He alleged that the Government agencies have made nonsense of the executive order for them to leave the port, unlike when Okonjo Iweala issued the directive earlier 2011.
"They are still fully in the ports, NAFDAC and SON are still on ground with their offices still intact, as I speak with you, I have five containers that was arrested by SON and the same container was blocked by NAFDAC"
"SON said that it is their container and that they supposed to certify it, NAFDAC is also looking at the chemical content. The container is carrying superglue
The SON is not supposed to be inside the port, they are supposed to be at the country of origin"
"The eviction is on paper, go to Tin Can island second gate, immediately you come in, you would see NAFDAC office where they are parking peoples’ cargo, at the end of the day they share it among themselves"
"Also, SON would tell you they want to take sample and they would carry a 50 inch television which they would not return back. They go to customs platforms after examination and place alert on your cargo and tell customs to invite them, you would have to reopen the container or face N250, 000 fine"
Also speaking with our correspondent to corroborate this, a National Publicity Secretary of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Kayode Farinto said that the agencies are inside the port and are operating illegally.
Farinto who is also a member of the committee on implementation of the executive order noted that the order for the agencies to vacate the port as reeled out by the NPA boss was supposed to take effect immediately.
He told our correspondent that NAFDAC and SON are also represented on the implementation committee and that they are definitely leaving the port.
"What we did was to categorise the action plan into three phases, the immediate, the short term and the long term"
"The implementation is a gradual process and we want to use the Apapa port as a pilot project. In the next two weeks you will see some changes. Up till now the agencies are still inside the port but i want to tell you that they are not supposed to be inside the port, we have informed them and they are aware of it, they are privy to the report.
"The eviction was supposed to be immediate, so if they are still inside the port, they are there illegally" he said.
Meanwhile, a senior officer of the Nigerian Agriculture and Quarantine Service who spoke with our correspondent, but who pleaded anonymity argued that her agency has rights to remain inside the port.
She noted that the functions of the Quarantine Service at the port are huge, especially at a time the Federal Government is diversifying the economy to agriculture and exportation.
The officer argued that Quarantine service has presented a paper ordering it back into the port in 2011 to the present NPA boss and that Quarantine cannot leave the port.
Also speaking at a function in Apapa yesterday, a senior officer of SON, Engr Omoniyi argued that a lot of substandard cargoes would vacate the port without the presence of SON.
He however debunked allegations of illegal collection of samples, saying that samples are usually returned back to the importers after six weeks.
He said that the guideline for sample taking is stated clearly on SON website and that not more than two products are allowed to be taken as samples.
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