A maritime firm; Oceanglory Commodities Limited has commended the Nigeria Customs Service for the introduction of the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), saying that it has significantly improved trade facilitation in Nigeria.
Managing Director of the firm; Mr. Peter Cole Jr gave the commendation in a statement made available to Shipping Position Daily in Lagos recently.
A maritime firm; Oceanglory Commodities Limited has commended the Nigeria Customs Service for the introduction of the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), saying that it has significantly improved trade facilitation in Nigeria.
Managing Director of the firm; Mr. Peter Cole Jr gave the commendation in a statement made available to Shipping Position Daily in Lagos recently.
According to him, the major setback in the clearance of commodities from the seaports can be attributed to delay, but he stated that things have changed since the PAAR was introduced.
He stressed that PAAR made trade facilitation much easier pointing out that clearance of goods from the ports has tremendously improved.
"One of the very bad black spots we suffered in the past was the fact that consignments were left on ground in the ports for weeks because the Customs Clearing documents with which the consignments can be cleared is usually not available, but all that has change now with the introduction of the ‘Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR)’."
"The truth is, the introduction of PAAR into the clearing process in Nigeria has tremendously improved trade in Nigeria in that clearing documents have become a lot easier to process. "
However he lamented that the major problem operators in his line of business face is the non- availability of space at the terminals for vessels to discharge cargoes.
He also appealed to the new administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari to put in place effective rail system that can move cargoes in and out of the seaports, in order to allow free flow of vehicles into Apapa.
Cole also said that there has been tremendous improvement in the maritime industry, adding that government agencies under the transport ministry have come up with ideas that are gradually transforming their operations.
He said "the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has just introduced an online platform that has remarkably improved the delivery time of consignments in the Nigerian ports. "
"The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is also doing a “yeoman’s job” as regards the safety of our waterways. "
" In my opinion the major problem that we are now facing at the ports is the non-availability of discharging space for ships"
“If this can be solved then international trade in Nigeria will be made a lot easier."
Speaking about the lingering traffic situation in Apapa and its environs Cole said,"Undoubtedly, the chaotic nature of vehicular and human movements in and out of both Apapa and Tincan Island Ports is a major impediment to trade."
" It never use to be this bad, but truth be told since trade has continued to increase and the infrastructures in the Nigerian ports has not improved in the same proportion then this calamity is inevitable. "
"There is an urgent need to quickly put a rail system in place that will help to seamlessly convey goods in and out of the ports to holding bays that must be situated somewhere in the outskirts of Lagos, for example in places like Ikorodu and Epe."
" All the Customs formalities can be carried out at the holding bay or bays as the case may be and this will drastically reduce the undue pressure that is currently been exacted on these ports. "
"The introduction of these holding bays will also galvanize urban development in those areas. "
"The reality is that the world is practically waiting for the Nigerian maritime industry so we need to ‘up our game", he noted.
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