In this interview with Anozie Egole, the chairman of Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agent, Mr Goddy Sodeji speaks on the challenges in the maritime sector. He also critics the performance of the presidential task team on Apapa traffic
“The agreements on the ports concession need to be reviewed due to a lot of lapses “
The crisis rocking the Board of Trustees of ANLCA is gradually tearing the association apart, what do you think is the way forward?
Talking about the issue of the crisis in ANLCA, I am a chapter chairman; I am not in a position to discuss anything in that regards. There is a constitution and we need to follow the constitution. Even on the CRFFN, I am not in position to talk about that, it is a national secretariat issue and will only be addressed by our national body.
What is your assessment of the task team on Apapa traffic so far?
So far, the task force that was inaugurated the effort by the deferral government is well commended, that is the right step in the right direction but unfortunately it is not working. The enforcement, compliance is not there; people are sabotaging the effort. Right now, if you look at the roads now you will still see gridlock; if the order was effective by now you are not supposed to see any gridlock on the roads, so the task team didn’t work. The first thing they should have done was to put structures on ground that will make this order very effective. The government needs to do their own side before you talk about other stakeholders, when there is a problem you will investigate and look at the cause of the problem and start from the grassroots to address it. Then you get the problem solved and things will return to normal and activities will start moving. The problem has not been solved, the extra time that was given to them, what was the guarantee that the problem was going to be solved before the end of the time. Let’s put structure on ground first.
What are the challenges that you face as you operate in this terminal?
I don’t think the challenges we face here are still news, everybody is aware including the government. We have said this thing countless times through every other means to communicate with the government. The first challenge is the road, we don’t have access to the ports, then you talk about the challenges of non-availability of holding bay. We have a whole lot of challenges here and they are all known to the government and the right thing to do now is to address them one after the other and get things working again.
There seems to be less congestion in and out of KLT terminal, what is the cause?
The associations and stakeholders including the Nigeria Custom Service, the Nigerian Ports Authority meet from time to time to talk about how to manage the situation. What you have noticed here is a result of the way we have been managing here and it is not a total free flow of cargoes as you can see. There are some containers that are lying outside trying to find their ways inside; it is not a total free flow of traffic, which is why I am saying that all stakeholders should come together; they must be committed to doing the right thing. This is a joint effort to ensure that things work out.
What do you have to say on the issue of overtime cargos at KLT?
I cannot give you the exact number of the overtime containers here; it is the terminal operators that are the custodian of containers who can tell you that. As containers enter the ports the customs has the record, they compile the records together. I would say that there are many overtime cargoes here.
What is your relationship with other sister associations and agencies at KLT?
Our relationship is nothing but official and that is what is expected of us.
There have been this call for the review of the ports concession; do you think there is need for that?
Of course there is need for that, there are so many reasons it should be reviewed. The agreements on the ports concession need to be reviewed due to a lot of lapses, break down of order and non- compliance. There are so many issues and I think the government has set up a committee already working on that and soonest we should have a review.
How would you assess the Nigerian maritime industry after 20 years of democracy?
Yes, we are trying but we are not yet there, there are still rooms for a lot of improvement.
The federal government recently placed a ban on the importation of palm oil, what is your take on that?
Before the government will make a policy or pronouncement, it is expected that they must have done their homework properly and engaged stakeholders before arriving at the decision. But it is very unfortunate that stakeholders were not properly informed or engaged before the decision. On the issue of repackaging of sniper, if the gain is considered bigger than the loss, so be it.
What do you think about the automobile policy?
Of course, the automobile policy is not favourable because as it is now we are not manufacturing vehicles here and how many Nigerians can afford to buy brand new vehicles. The policy has a lot of negative effects on Nigerian economy because as you can see, smugglers are smuggling vehicles through the land borders to this place and the neighbouring countries are benefitting from that and they are also encouraging that while the Nigerian government is losing and those vehicles are being used here. So tell me how the policy is favourable and helpful to Nigeria. I think there is need for a review and if it is reviewed and the age of the vehicles reduced you will have more imports direct to Nigeria and the duty will be paid to the federal government coffers.
Why do you think there is high importation of over-aged vehicles in the country?
You cannot import new vehicles through the sea port here, they are coming in through the land border and government has banned land importation of vehicles. And my advice to those in that smuggling business is to desist from it before the law catches up with them.
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