Apparently disappointed at the way agencies of the Federal Government have been disobeying directives on Presidential Ease of Doing Business, the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA); Hadiza Bala Usman has threatened to drag the agencies before the Vice President for refusing to obey the directives.
She stated this last Friday at the head office of the NPA during a meeting with the leadership of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Agents (ANLCA).
Earlier, the ANLCA delegation which was led to the meeting by its Vice President; Dr Kayode Farinto has expressed appreciation to the NPA MD, especially for the respite in vehicular traffic in and out of Apapa. The team confirmed that there is remarkable improvement in the rehabilitation of the roads and that accessing the two ports of Tin Can and Apapa is now less cumbersome.
He listed a plethora of issues that were agitating the minds of freight forwarders and which according to him necessitated the request for audience with the managing director. He listed some of the issues as incessant blockade of containers by the Marine Police, the presence of Quarantine Services in the ports and the flagrant disobedience of the directive on Ease of Doing Business at the ports.
The ANLCA Vice President said that were it not for the respect that the association has for the NPA Chief Executive because of her sterling performances, the would have been withdrawal of services by freight forwarders.
After listening to the ANLCA complaints, the MD of NPA informed the delegation that the Nigerian Ports Authourity had written to the Nigeria Customs Service on complaints over ease of doing business and the issue of multiple checks on containers . She however told ANLCA that the Comptroller General of Customs has remained adamant.
She said the directive of the Vice President on ease of doing business is very clear. “We will write a letter to all stakeholders on the directive of the Vice President on the agencies that are to be in the port”
“I have written to the CG of Customs, I have written to the office of the Vice President, but they (Customs) said they can not comply, that they will have a single interface, the matter was escalated to a meeting of ease of doing business, yet they said they can not comply, they listed a list of things citing the Act”.
She also assured that the issues raised about the Marine Police will be discussed when she meets with the Inspector General of the Police, she assured that the meeting will hold soon.
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