The Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Compt Bashir Yussuf has cautioned clearing agents to desist from Indiscriminate dropping of containers on port access roads and illegal parking of their vehicles around Tin Can port.
Bashir gave the admonition at the inauguration ceremony of the Tin Can Island Chapter of the International Freight Forwarders Association (IFFA) headed by Ojo Peter Akintoye and the official launching of IFFA operational bus.
Speaking, the Controller who was represented by Deputy Controller in charge of enforcement, Dera Nnadi urged the agents to collaborate with customs and other agencies in ensuring that port infrastructures, especially the roads are maintained.
Bashir also appealed to the agents to shun unnecessary violent protest at the port, rather, he said they should initiate their protest through viable communication with relevant government agencies.
He said "We seek your collaboration in ensuring that port infrastructures are maintained, while we are urging relevant government agencies to maintain access road to the port, we also encourage you to talk to your members to park their vehicles appropriately, there is no need doing double parking, there is no need burning tyres on the road because they deplete the road, there is also no need dropping your containers indiscriminately on the road, we should help government to achieve its objectives"
"Everybody has the right to protest, but the days of going on the streets to protest violently is gone, today we encourage everybody to initiate their protest through viable communication with relevant government agencies"
Going by the recent revenue collected by the command, Bashir said that Tin Can Customs have become a command to beat. He said that on the average now, the command is making N1.2billion daily for the government from the port.
He attributed the success recorded with the revenue to efforts from all stakeholders.
National President of IFFA, Dr. Sam Onyemelikwe assured that his members are ready to collaborate with the Federal Government in meeting it's expectations from the port and to ensure success in ease of doing business.
According to him, IFFA was established to bring about change, innovation in the sector. He described the association as an elitist association that has decided to come down to chapter level to look at the lacuna and to institutionalise global best practice.
"We are ready to support all stakeholders in the port as our members are active Practisioners that move huge tonnage of cargoes annually from Nigeria and other parts of the world. We want to ensure Government target in maritime is met"
"The drive to establish chapters was aimed at building adequate capacity to support federal government to achieve its objectives of economic diversification and ease of doing business in the maritine sector" He said.
In his innaugural speech, IFFA Tin Can Island chapter Chairman, Ojo Peter Akintoye assured that the newly inducted executives of the chapter association have come to work to improve the lot of its members as well as other stakeholders in the maritime industry.
He said that the newly acquired operational vehicle (Siena Bus) of the association is first of its kind at Tin Can Island port and it is aimed at ensuring operations for its members.
"This is not a talk based administration, neither is it a story telling or promise making administration, we are here to work and it starts immediately"
"My team members have the relevant experience to address the challenge faced by agents at Tin Can Port; together we would deliver the long awaited ease of doing business in the port where all stakehokders involved in the value chain are carried along"
We would build a port environment devoid of quarrel or violence, by using negotiation as an important tool of trade to midwife a harmonious relationship with other agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies and the Nigeria Customs Service"
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