Stakeholders Urge Shippers Council To Boost FOREX Through Export

Stakeholders in import and export business have tasked the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to focus on developing exportation of cargoes, saying that this will give the Federal Government the needed foreign exchange to drive the nation’s economy.
‎At a maritime summit organized by the Shippers Council and TELL Magazine tagged “Exploring Opportunities in Nigeria’s Maritime Industry” the operators called for proper enlightenment of exporters on how to meet up international standards.
Leading the train, Comptroller General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali, represented by Zonal Coordinator ‘A’ Comptroller Charles Edike lamented that there is low level of information and sensitization of exporters.‎
He said there is an urgent need for continuous public enlightenment especially of youths leaving schools and looking for jobs, he said that if the youths are tutored and informed, they would not want to work in oil companies because they would be earning much from export.
“We cannot over-emphasise the importance of export‎ and the export market in Nigeria. The raw materials are still here, by the time oil revenue came up, we abandoned that strength and first love.
“The greatest challenge is knowledge and awareness of the potentials that export can give to us, it will earn us foreign exchange‎, people do not know that for them to export food items they need NAFDAC because of standards, while I was in Apapa, a lot of containers were returned because they lacked standard”, he said.
While reiterating the importance of planning, Ali said that people rush into export without getting proper knowledge and strategic planning‎. The Customs boss equally lamented that Nigerian exporters do not have warehouses in Apapa and this affects movement of their cargoes.
Also speaking, National President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Prince Olayiwola Shittu tasked Shippers Council to focus on reducing port charges, he said that export cannot thrive amidst high charges.
Shittu also tasked government to concession the rail sector, adding that Nigerians suffer because of lack of transportation of their export commodities to the seaports through rails.
“Government should intervene on the charges by private jetty operators in using barges to transport goods, if we are not able to reduce the charges, we would be in more problems”‎ Shittu said.
Also speaking, Director Production Department of Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Williams Ezeagwu, urged Nigerians to support diversification of the country’s’ economy by involving in exportation.
Ezeagwu said that benefit of export is that it increases foreign exchange earnings from key agricultural products through value addition.
He said that there was need for all state to imbibe export culture which would go a long way in empowerment especially women and as well the teaming youths.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of Shippers Council; Mr Hassan Bello said there was need to introduced automation in the process of clearing cargoes at the ports.
Bello also urged stakeholders to always operate in honest declaration so as to fast-track clearance procedure and assist government to achieve 48-hour cargo clearance.
He said that policy inconsistency was affecting the realisation of efficiency part in the country.
Bello said that there was need to seek appropriate policy framework that would assist transformation of Nigerian Ports.