Maritime
Groups Carpet FG Over Poor Infrastructure In Ports
The Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA) and Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) have expressed dissatisfaction over several years of infrastructural decay in Nigerian ports.
The two bodies said the Federal Government had failed the maritime industry in so many ways especially in the area of embracing digitalisation.
The National Vice President of ANLCA, Dr. Collins Farinto, while speaking at AMJON’s 3rd Annual Conference/Awards in Lagos, recently, decried the state of infrastructure at the ports and called for the establishment of the Ministry of Maritime, in an effort to revamp the maritime industry in the country.
The National Vice President who represented the National President of the association, Chief Tony Iju, at the event, presented a paper on the Roles of Customs Brokers/Freight Forwarders in Seamless Port Operations in Nigeria.
Farinto commended the acting Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Bello Koko Mohammed, for his efforts so far in clearing bottlenecks around the Lagos ports and its environs.
He, however, noted that there are a lot of factors militating against the maritime industry in the country, such as lack of infrastructure like scanners to speed up cargo examination by Customs and other government agencies, numerous agencies of governments at the seaport carrying out similar functions, perennial traffic gridlock hindering easy access to the seaport and poor road network within the port vicinity.
Others, according to him, are lack of functional railway system for immediate evacuation of containers out of the port, activities of miscreants within the port corridors, and corruption and sabotage in the system.
President of AMJON , Mr. Paul Ogbuokiri, had earlier said that when the 10-kilometer Oshodi-Apapa expressway which has been under construction for many years is completed, it would reduce the Apapa gridlock by 40 per cent, adding that a motorable road system is essential in the drive towards a ‘seamless port operations in Nigeria’.
Ogbuokiri also charged the management of the Nigerian Shippers Council to complement the efforts of other government regulatory bodies to enable Nigerians enjoy the full benefit of the ‘blue economy project’.
He further said: “The Nigerian maritime industry which hitherto was held down by many setbacks to the extent that it has completely failed to reach its potentials, is on the march to reach its potentials as vast media reports quoting the International Maritime Bureau indicate that piratical attacks dropped by 77 per cent in the first nine months of 2021 in the Nigerian waters and the Gulf Guinea which in recent years became the epicenter of piracy and sea robbery.
“We have noted that the leadership of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has commenced a campaign for the removal of the war risk insurance on Nigerian bound cargoes and is also inching closer to returning Nigerian to a position of importance in global maritime politics.
“It has also come to our notice that the new leadership at the Nigerian Ports Authority has reworked the Electronic Truck Call System (ETO) to the extent that it brought down the notorious Apapa traffic gridlock by about 60 per cent.
”We’re looking forward that this magic wand on the new administration at the Ports Authority put traffic completely under control so that Apapa, Nigeria’s foremost port city will regain its grove”.
The Association also used the event to unveil the AMJON Express Magazine, a special purpose magazine which promises to be the voice of the maritime sector.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Maritime
Hunger Protest Paralyses Port Activities In Nigeria
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The ongoing hunger protests and EndBad Governance in Nigeria embarked upon by Nigerians have paralysed seaport activities across the six Seaports in the country.
Ports operational activities were shutdown at the six nation’s seaports: Tin Can Island Port, Apapa Port, Onne Port, Rivers Port Complex, Warri and Calabar Port.
Àgrieved Protesters took to the streets nationwide to demand an end to economic hardship and bad governance.
The #EndBadGovernance protests, which began in major cities across the country on Monday, August 1,2024, crippled socio-economic activities and forced shops, business centres and commercial activities to shutdown, including air and seaports.
Following the hunger protests, maritime activities were paralysed as all the busy seaports were deserted by port users.
Ships birthed at the ports were not discharging cargos, neither did trucks load consignment to their destinations and to the consumers.
Seagoing vessels with cargos were stranded at the sea as marine workers were not on duty to carry out their marine operations.
Heavy security presence was noticed at major ports, including Apapa, Tin Can, Onne, and Port Harcourt as operations were grounded to a near halt.
Aggrieved youths, students and civil society organisations stormed major streets in various parts of the country, demanding that President Bola Tinubu should, as a matter of urgency, review or discard some of his harsh economic policies, which have brought hardship to Nigerians.
The protesters armed with various placards chanted solidarity songs, defled heavy downpour to protest harsh governance and hardship in the country.
They called on the President Tinubu government to review its economic policies, saying many Nigerians have been subdued by poverty and frustration since the advent of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
By: Chinedu Wosu
Maritime
Nigeria’s Fish Import Bill Hits N138bn In Nine Months
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The Federal Government has said it spent over N138 billion in fish import bill in nine months in 2023, saying its yearly fish import bill stands at 2.4 million metric tonnes.
Government said such import bill drains the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
Director, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Wellington Omoragbon, stated this during a courtesy visit by the National Working Group on Gender and Blue Economy.
He called on government to tackle challenges facing fishery and aquaculture, including dredging activities.
To address the challenge, Omoragbon said government is launching initiatives to increase local capacity, including locally-designed technologies such as storage facilities and inclusion of women and youths in production.
The Director emphasised the need for state and local governments to prioritise fisheries projects, particularly in supporting women and youth as 70 per cent of the population lack necessary support in the fishing industry.
He highlighted the need for market and technology development to reduce reliance on fish imports.
“The government plans to intervene in the fishing sector, signing an MoU with the Ministry of Water Resources to utilise the country’s water bodies for fishing”, he said.
He acknowledged the skill gap in the sector and called for a need assessment to identify targeted issues across fishing communities.
Maritime
Corruption At Ports: Group Writes To Presidency
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National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, has charged the Federal Government to implement the Single Window Environment (SWE) to curb corruption-related problems at the nation’s seaports.
In a letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Amiwero noted that apart from curbing corruption-related problems at the seaports, implementation of the SWE has many other benefits.
The Council listed some of the benefits to include provision of standardised information, single entry point, and reduced malpractice associated with import-export and transit-related regulatory requirements.
NCMDLCA also added that “the SWE will help facilitate the accelerated flow of service in Customs release and Cargo clearance, enhance the availability and handling of information, and harmonise better sharing of relevant data across Government system.
“It will reduce malpractice associated with Import- Export and Transit regulated requirements, provide trade related government information and receive payment of duties and other charges”.
The Council added that the provision of Section (1a) of the Customs Act provide for lead agency and one stop-shop process under the control of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The implementation of SWE is expected to simplify the administrative process, reduce costs, and enhance the availability and handling of information, making trading easier for both government and private sector stakeholders.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic
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