Transport
Embarrassing Effects Of Multiple Roadblocks
It appears that Nigeria has returned to the embarrassing experience of yester years, as illegal and multiple road blocks mounted by men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) tend to be thriving again.
The practice tends to flourish in spite of measures put up to checkmate it across the country, as the number of road blocks keeps increasing by the day, and officers muster more courage to continue on such activities with the major motive of extortion of motorists.
As part of efforts to control the multiple extortionist road blocks some past police bosses had ordered policemen on stop-and-search duty to refrain from the routine vehicle particular check so as to ward off some of the negative imprints of such activity, but this order tends to be impotent enough to reverse the ugly trend, as the systemic, illegal and lucrative trade still flourishes.
A recent journey to Calabar has revealed that there were at least 36 road blocks/check points from Port Harcourt to Calabar.
Former Minister of Integration and Cooperation in Africa, Dr. Bimbola Ogunkelu while relating his experience with respect to road blocks/checkpoints said “Sometime ago, I travelled from Togo to Nigeria through Benin Republic. From Seme border to Badagry, I noticed about 28 road blocks. .. it is like every 260 metres there is a road block especially in the evenings.”
From all indications, if the essence of the road blocks had been simply to tighten security, indeed their proliferation probably would not have attracted much reactions, but instead it has been established, even at the full glare of commuters that policemen at the checkpoints/road blocks are just on extortion mission, instead for the purpose of security.
Most of the police men at the so-called check points dent the image of the police force through petty corruption, indiscipline, brutality and oppression among others in the name of checking particulars.
While they point the gun at motorists with right hand, the left hand is used in collecting bribe, even a ridiculous sum of N50 from commercial drivers. Some of them that are heartless will go extra mile to shoot, and there had been reports of drivers that lost their lives through this.
In Port Harcourt and its environs, this phenomenon has become very much pronounced virtually in every road on Port Harcourt especially in the evening hours, and reports have revealed that security operatives on the East-West Road are the worst offenders.
The increasing number of vehicles in Port Harcourt, coupled with number of roads under construction and the attendant pot-holes have added to the bad traffic situation which is usually experienced when these action/extortionist Police men mount road blocks/check points.
The resultant effect of this is that a driver plying certain areas within the Port Harcourt axis will have to set aside at least N800 for police checkpoints/ road blocks, while those plying outside the city like Calabar will set aside at least N2,000 for settlement of Police.
Not minding the monetary aspect of the thing, but the most disturbing aspect is the untold hardship that commuters face especially in the evening hours while returning from work, as the result of traffic jam alias “hold up” keep people trapped on the way home for several hours.
His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi had a feel of this ugly trend when on a Friday evening in the first quarter of 2010, while passing through the Choba/Rumuokoro route, very close to the “Obiri Ikwerre” met a “hold up” and the cause of this was due to Police activities at the check point.
The scenario motivated the action police men and other security operatives on the governors convey to manhandle these police men at check point, and dismantled all that they mounted, while some were taken away, at the glare of road users.
For about two weeks following, there was no operation of road block/check point at that point, and motorists had free movement within that area throughout that period.
Indeed several orders had been issued concerning check points/road block but these have been flouted continually.
Although junior police officers might be dismissed from service, and have been dismissed when caught extorting money, but it is yet to be mentioned of senior officers, especially Divisional Police Officers (DPO) among others whose beats or area of operations are known for such illegality.
It is alleged that returns are rendered to such senior officers.
It is my belief that much has not been done yet by the right authorities. It is the right time Mr. President, the National Assembly and the Police Service Commission brase up to the challenge of scrutinising and sanitise the corruption element that has brought the Nigerian Police to the ridicule.
Though the challenge is enormous, it must be emphasised that attitude of Police Force with respect to corruption reveals the level of corruption in Nigeria.
Much has not been done yet to properly enforce order in the police. The public and motorists alike have cried aloud. Unless these senior officers are deait with, there might not be an end to extortion and other road block irregularities. That National embarrassment must stop.
Corlins Walter
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, recently led his team to the Headquarters of Huawei, a famous information and communications technology company in Shenzhen, China, where he discussed opportunities embedded in Nigeria Customs Service Trade Modernisation Project.
This was disclosed in a press release made available to our correspondent in Lagos by the National Public Relations Officer (NPRO) of the Service, CSC Maidawa yesterday.
According to the release, the CGC’s visit to Huawei Headquarters was part of his official visit to the People’s Republic of China for the 6th Global AEO Conference that took place in the city of Shenzhen between Wednesday, 8th May, Friday, 10 May, 2024.
Stating the purpose of his visit to the company’s office on behalf of his team, CGC Adeniyi said, “We are also delighted to associate with the Global Leader Technology Services through the Team of Trade Modernisation.”
It would be recalled that the Service had, during the Huawei Connect 2023 held in Shanghai in October, 2023, expressed readiness to deploy some of the company’s latest products for use in its trade modernisation project.
The CGC, who urged Huawei’s company leadership to sustain their digitalisation services to NCS, also sought their support to collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service to maintain their transformative journey with the company.
On his part, Xujing Xu, the Huawei Company’s Vice President of Smart Transportation, welcomed the delegation of the NCS led by Adeniyi and the Management Team of the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) Limited, led by Chairman Saleh Ahmadu.
He expressed confidence that their collaboration will benefit all parties involved, noting that “the foundational work for this transformation is already underway”.
The TMP Chairman, Saleh Ahmadu, during his address, said Huawei is living up to expectations to deliver its mandate under the auspices of Trade Modernisation Project Limited.
He appreciated the support accorded to him by the CGC and his management team towards the success of the NCS Trade Modernisation Project.
In his bid to upscale the level of NCS modernisation, the Comptroller-General of Customs, alongside members of the Trade Modernisation Project led by Chairman Saleh Ahmadu, visited Lantan Port to witness the level of automation and technological solutions provided by Huawei and other tech partners.
In a related development, a training programme on Trends and Digital Solutions for Customs officials and the TMP team was organised by Huawei the same day, which focused on equipping officials with the necessary skills to navigate the digital landscape of modern trade.
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) says it has registered 160 Port stakeholders into its Regulated Port Service Provider and Users platform since the initiative began in 2023.
Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made the disclosure on the sideline of a sensitisation programme by the commission for port operators in Lagos, with the theme, “Regulated Port Service Provider and Users”.
Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah emphasised the significance of the programme for stakeholders.
He said the sensitisation programme was the second edition after its commencement during the last quarter of 2023.
The Secretary said the 160 registered port operators consist of agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, individual port users as well as service providers.
“We invited the ports stakeholders for enlightening them on the processes for online registration of Regulated Port Service Provider and Users.
“We have demonstrated to them how to register and how to make payment and we were able to present before them the various categories of the registration.
“The rate of payment is also in the registration. The payment of each group depends on the operation. A shipper pays N30,000, terminal operators and shipping companies pay N300,000, truckers also pay N30,000, while some pay N50,000 and N100,000.
“The Council was able to intimate them on the benefits, because port users benefit more as we help to interface on reducing port charges from time to time”, Akutah said.
He said that there was a need to continue to work with port operators to stop delays and eliminate high costs to make the port efficient.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders, Service, NSC, Mr Celestine Akujobi, said “the sensitisation exercise was important for the council to enable us bring all the port stakeholders together”.
According to him, this is to avoid challenges during the implementation of the council’s responsibilities.
“By the time we introduce sanctions on defaulters, no operators will complain that he or she is not aware of the registration.
“I’m happy with the turnout of this sensitisation. This shows that the operators are well informed of the statutory friction of the council as the port regulator.
“The final implementation will commence as soon as we discover that all the operators have keyed into the portal.
“We are engaging other ports across the country and we’re hopeful that before the last quater of 2024, the council will implement sanctions on defaulting operators”, Akujobi said.
Earlier, Vice Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwards (NAGAFF), Dr Ifeanyi Emoh, said port challenges were enormous, adding that they originated from some of the government agencies.
Emoh urged the council to look into regulating other government agencies, so that there could be a window through which they can collect port charges collectively instead of indiscriminately.
By: Chinedu Wosu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said the decision of his administration to embark on a National Single Window (NSW) platform is to boost the country’s Ease of Doing Business Index as rated by the World Bank.
The NSW is an electronic portal that links all agencies and operators within the country’s supply chain to an integrated platform, which is to be domiciled at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Membership of the steering committee is drawn from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), Federal Inland Revenue Service, (FIRS), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and some key private sector operators, which include importers, exporters, shipping lines, freight agents and banks.
Speaking while inaugurating the steering committee for the project at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President also said the platform is aimed at eliminating all forms of encumbrances to trade and commerce with a view to optimising revenue generation and ultimately boost the inflow of both local and foreign direct investment into the country.
The President, who decried the bottlenecks that characterise the country’s import, export and other supply chain activities, noted that the project is another milestone by his administration, saying the project would boost investment inflow by removing all forms of trade barriers in the import and export value chain.
“Nigeria’s import and export processes are bureaucratic, which lead to delays at the seaports. Such inefficiencies have adverse impacts on local businesses in the country and serve as potential impediment for foreign direct investments.
“To eliminate these challenges, today, we are launching the National Single Window project.
“The National Single Window Project is intended to enhance revenue generation through imports and exports and accelerate economic activities in the country.
“This project is a bold initiative to simplify and streamline our import and export clearance processes by eliminating bottlenecks, and harnessing best-in-class technology. This will result in reduced costs of doing business and position us to attract more foreign investment.
“The National Single Window Project will consist of four key pillars, namely: Single Window for Imports, Single Window for Exports, Port Community System and Scanning Services across our sea, air and land borders.
“The Project is not merely a technological advancement, but a strategic initiative to increase revenue generation by consolidating import and export related procedures into a unified electronic platform.
“The platform will serve as a single portal for the submission and approval of all import and export related documents, as well as a centralised payment system. It will be integrated with the various systems in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) involved in the import and export processes.
“The National Single Window project is a top priority for this Administration. As a result, I am directing all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies working on similar systems or information technology implementation projects to stop doing so in silos but align and consolidate such projects under the National Single Window Project’s scope.
“Today, I am also inaugurating the National Single Window project steering committee. The primary objectives of the Steering Committee are to provide support, oversight, strategic direction, and guidance to ensure the effective implementation of the project.
“You are entrusted with the responsibility of aligning this project with this government’s revenue enhancement objectives, setting the stage for a more efficient and responsive economy.
“I expect nothing short of excellence from this committee. You are the driving force behind the success of this crucial project, and your commitment and dedication will determine its outcome.
“Our collective effort will shape this project and play a key role in shaping the future of trade and commerce in Nigeria. I urge you to approach this task with a sense of purpose, unity, and a shared commitment for the betterment of our nation”, the President said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of FIRS, Zacch Adedeji, who also spoke at the event, thanked President Tinubu for the project and approving FIRS and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) as the project’s implementing agencies and financial managers.
Adedeji said the project aligns with the President’s commitment to stimulating Nigeria’s economy through enhanced trade facilitation and a bold step towards realising the country’s immense economic potential.
“As we strive towards achieving sustainable economic growth, we must embrace high-impact projects such as the National Single Window. By simplifying the government trade compliance process through a cutting-edge digital platform, we will unlock a myriad of economic benefits.
“This initiative will serve as a catalyst for achieving an average Gross Domestic Project (GDP) growth rate of seven per cent annually, propelling Nigeria to new heights of prosperity. The National Single Window is not just a technological advancement; it is the gateway to a more connected, efficient, and transparent system.
“By integrating our seaports, government agencies, and key stakeholders, we will create a seamless ecosystem that facilitates trade, saves time for businesses, and opens up a world of opportunities.
“From providing access to education and healthcare to enabling small businesses to reach global markets, digital connectivity is the key to unlocking Nigeria’s true potential.
“The heavy costs, delays, and inefficiencies at our ports has been a constant burden. It is estimated that a staggering $4 billion annually is lost due to these inefficiencies.
“By addressing revenue leakage prevention and facilitating effective trade, we will reclaim these lost resources and channel them towards the betterment of our society.
“Steering Committee, National Single Window 2 Paperless trade alone is projected to bring an annual economic benefit of around $2.7 billion; a testament to the transformative power of this initiative.
“The success stories of countries that have embraced Single Window systems are evident. Singapore, Korea, Kenya and Saudi Arabia have all witnessed significant improvements in trade efficiency after implementing similar initiatives. It is now Nigeria’s turn to join the ranks of these progressive nations and reap the rewards of a streamlined, digitised trade environment.
“The National Single Window is not just about facilitating trade, it is also a powerful tool for expanding our tax base and capturing the informal e-Commerce sector. By providing a unified, modern digital platform for expeditious paperless cargo clearance and logistics, we will bring more businesses into the formal economy, ensuring that everyone contributes their fair share to our nation’s development.
“Moreover, by linking the Nigerian National Single Window with other African nations, we will expedite cargo movement and optimise intra-Africa trade.
“This will position Nigeria as a leader in regional trade facilitation, fostering stronger economic ties with our neighbors and creating new opportunities for growth and collaboration.
“The current international trade environment is complex, involving disparate systems and requiring an average of 40 documents per transaction. Nigeria’s lack of a comprehensive trade facilitation system has led to bottlenecks, corruption, port delays, decreased revenue, and a negative business environment. The National Single Window is a decisive response to these challenges.
“By improving trade facilitation, revenue generation, economic growth, transparency, security, and streamlined processes, we will transform Nigeria into a global trade powerhouse”, the FIRS boss explained.
