The Federal Government is set to automate all maritime agencies before the end of the first quarter 2015, the Senior Special Adviser on Maritime Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Leke Oyewole has said.
Mr Oyewole disclosed this at a stakeholders’ forum organised for maritime industry stakeholders by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), yesterday in Lagos.
The Federal Government is set to automate all maritime agencies before the end of the first quarter 2015, the Senior Special Adviser on Maritime Affairs to President Goodluck Jonathan, Mr Leke Oyewole has said.
Mr Oyewole disclosed this at a stakeholders’ forum organised for maritime industry stakeholders by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), yesterday in Lagos.
According to him, the urge to revitalise the maritime agency through automation is because the federal government is worried about the fortune and performance of the nation’s maritime industry.
He told the stakeholders that, "the President has directed that we should automate all agencies in the maritime sector and link them together and that will commence very soon".
He noted that with the development, when NPA is automated, linking with the concessionaires, Customs and NIMASA for instance will bring about faster clearance of consignments from the seaports.
He further said that with automation, the ship berthing at the ports will not experience delay because it will be a one-stop shop that will bring about efficiency.
Oyewole said, "from the day a ship steps to Nigeria and till the day she leaves the country we want to know what happen to the ship"
"Be it in NPA, NIMASA or Customs we want to know what has happened and we are to automate all these processes for effective performance of the sector".
He further lauded effort made so far by the Nigeria Customs Service over automation saying that the entire maritime sector will also key into the system.
Oyewole added that the automation process, which is expected to commence in three months time will also eradicate human traffic at the ports, because according to him, human traffic into the ports is too much.
The SSA to president Goodluck Jonathan further appealed to freight agents to support SON in ensuring that substandard goods no longer finds their ways into the Nigerian market.
The adviser pointed that the President is worried about the many challenges faced in the industry and that is why automation of all maritime agencies is of essence.
On his part, Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu stressed the need for agents to assist Nigerians in eradicating substandard products.
Odumodu, said importation of sub standard products has led to the close down of local companies due to their inability to compete with sub-standard foreign products.
"We are all responsible for the state of affairs in this country. A lot of local companies have folded up; not because of anything, but because they have not been able to compete with imported sub-standard products that flooded our market."
The DG said the purpose for the stakeholders’ forum was to build a robust economy for all Nigerians.
"We all have the responsibility to build a robust economy, a better country for our children, our children must be able to come out of school and get a job."
He acknowledged the importance of the maritime industry, saying, "your role in the economy is critical, you make things happen, you are important and must not be ignored."
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