A member of the Presidential Committee on Port Reform and President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu has assured that ports decongestion and 48- hour cargo clearance will soon become a reality.
Shittu, said on Monday in Lagos, that the reality depended on the implementation of the `five smart steps' recommended by the committee.
He recalled that the five smart steps were presented at a one-day retreat held by the Federal Government in Abuja last Monday.
A member of the Presidential Committee on Port Reform and President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu has assured that ports decongestion and 48- hour cargo clearance will soon become a reality.
Shittu, said on Monday in Lagos, that the reality depended on the implementation of the `five smart steps' recommended by the committee.
He recalled that the five smart steps were presented at a one-day retreat held by the Federal Government in Abuja last Monday.
“The five steps specify pre-clearance documentation with the first step involving obtaining the pro-forma invoice and form “M'' filled electronically and sent to an electronic interchange, he said.
He said that the documents had to be accompanied by the Standards Organisation Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) certificates,'' he said.
Shittu said that the second step was when the importer would be ready to import, adding that this involved all enquiries, corrections and classifications on the documents being submitted online.
According to him, the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) is issued immediately at this point and forms the basis for shipping.
He said that the third step which had to do with duty payment, involved import declaration made through Data Trade Input (DTI) sent electronically to Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
Shittu said that duty had to be paid before the arrival of vessel based on the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) earlier issued.
The clearing agent said that the fourth and fifth steps had to do with the delivery process in which all inbound cargo are subjected to pre-scanning to determine either dock or off-dock delivery.
He said that all containers requiring examination would be taken to bonded terminals while “others are released electronically and accessed through EDI.
He said that simultaneously, there would be one stop shop invoicing and payment of shipping and terminal charges.
Shittu also said that shipping lines would also collaborate with bonded terminals for movement of laden containers and returning the empty ones.
According to him, the last step involves the exit of all containers from the port or bonded terminals as soon as all payments are confirmed.
Shittu said that importers would have reconciled all areas of disputes on importation or any regulatory certificate such as the NAFDAC and SONCAP certificates, “before the cargo leaves the port of loading''.
“It was agreed that on or before November, the five smart steps along with other reforms in the Maritime industry will take effect,'' he said.
He said further that, to this end, the President set up another committee chaired by the Minister of Transport to within two weeks come up with modalities on how to implement all the agreed processes.
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