Maritime stakeholders want Transition Monitoring Group on Destination Inspection

Maritime stakeholders have asked the Federal Government to inaugurate a Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) on Destination Inspection. The stakeholders, comprising freight forwarders and shippers, said this in a communiqué made available to newsmen on Sunday in Lagos after a stakeholders’ meeting on Destination Inspection.
 The communiqué described as a welcome development, the Federal Government's pronouncement on the extension of the Destination Inspection by six months.

Maritime stakeholders have asked the Federal Government to inaugurate a Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) on Destination Inspection. The stakeholders, comprising freight forwarders and shippers, said this in a communiqué made available to newsmen on Sunday in Lagos after a stakeholders’ meeting on Destination Inspection.
 The communiqué described as a welcome development, the Federal Government's pronouncement on the extension of the Destination Inspection by six months.
The stakeholders also suggested that the TMG should comprise people with experience on imports issues to monitor the transition process. “Most importantly, members of the Transition Monitoring Group should be those that are truly committed to the Nigerian Project and those who honestly wish that Nigeria gets it right.’’
 The communiqué said that the world and Nigeria’s trading communities were initially worried as to what would become of Nigeria and its trading partners by January 1. It said that those who had negotiated trade instruments before the government’s pronouncement were confused as to what would become of their goods that were in transit to Nigerian ports.
“Those who were still negotiating some trade deals were also confused as to what constitutes authentic documents for international trade with the Nigerian trading community. “The six months given, short as it may be, is for the scanning service providers, Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Government to work out a seamless transition programme. “It is also meant to adequately inform both local and international trading communities of anticipated changes and to put all necessary structures in place. “In doing all these, the interest of the nation and the subsisting government policies, for instance, job creation and so on should be paramount,’’ the communique stated.