The Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) has charged the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure that rotation number for manifesto of ships coming into the country is maintained.
The association said this at a meeting with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and Nigerian Shippers’ Council, held in Lagos last week.
Speaking during the meeting, the Chairman of the association, Mr. Val Usifoh, said that by maintaining rotation number, you don't need to run around for a new manifesto again when a ship arrives.
"When the ship comes it needs rotation number from customs. And what has been agreed is that once the manifest has been received and it has rotation number, we are suggesting that the rotation number should be maintained. Which means for instance if that ship passed through Cape Town for instance and we have a lot of cargoes from that town, you don't need to give another rotation number it is just adding to the manifest.
So an importer knows that these are the details he/she needs to fill. The role of customs in this is very critical here", he explained.
He also promised the cooperation of the association towards ensuring a conducive business environment even as he urged the federal government to ensure that the obstacles hindering the growth of businesses in Nigeria are removed.
"The issue of getting the manifest across to NPA is achievable. We have challenges and we highlighted those challenges and subject to those challenges being addressed and in normal environment these things don't happen. We have assured them that they will get all the cooperation that they want. Their duty is to make business really work as it should work. We want it to operate the way it should operate internationally. So their duty is to remove all the obstacles. It is driven by the Vice President to show you how serious it is", he added.
Usifo also lampooned the recent ultimatum given by the Nigerian Navy to truckers to vacate all the bridges, saying that the ultimatum is a temporary recipe.
He also urged all the government agencies to work together not to compete with each other.
"Once these bottlenecks are addressed things will work. The bottlenecks are everywhere like they are removing tankers out of the way now. If you are an importer you will know that they are doing a temporary recipe it is a different thing. They should work together not in competition. Because when you have the people working for the same government but in competition, things don't move".
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