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Why ‘indigenization’ of Cargo clearing may remain a mirage- Apapa Customs Boss

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Though licensed Customs agents have over the years called for indigenization of cargo clearing at Nigerian ports, the Apapa Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Musa Jibrin has indicated reasons why this desire might remain a mirage.

Musa who was hosting Executives of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) who came on courtesy visit specially noted, that most of the companies operating in the country were owned by foreigners and that Customs has provided them with licenses for self clearance.

He added that the essence of Ease of Doing Business policy of the Federal Government is to also make the environment friendly and convenient for investors as Nigeria is competing for foreign direct investment with other countries; positing that though Customs does not grant clearing license to foreigners, it however has provisions in its laws, for self clearance by established companies.

“There have been talks about foreigners around the customs house, in our import and export activities, we are dealing with both Nigerians and Non-Nigerians, and most of the industries we as a nation have licensed them, some of the companies that operate in Nigeria are owned by foreigners, we have assembly plants for Keke Napep and car assembly companies owned largely by foreigners.

“The Customs service does not license foreigners as a clearing agent, but they license companies and they grant self clearance to such companies, any company can be given self clearance, it is now the prerogative of such company to decide on whom they send to process customs documentation”

“If a company is owned by a foreigner and the clearing outfit of that company has foreigners, definitely you cannot rule out seeing a foreigner following up an entry, it is not our prerogative to tell them not to come forward”

The Customs boss also added that the law also has a provision for an importer to hire a custom agent to help him clear a consignment, therefore the owner of the consignment may be working from behind while he contracted the responsibility to the clearing agent.

Speaking on the ongoing construction of wharf road leading to Lagos port, Compt Musa assured that the completion of the road would lead to increase in economic activity for the country.

He also informed the visiting journalists that the command now conducts joint cargo examination with other relevant government agencies and they also issue a joint report for release of cargoes.

He also said that with the implementation of the Customs Information Integration System (NICIIS) 2, it is no longer cumbersome for importers to get release their consignment from the port.

“In no distant time, the Apapa road would have been done and this would translate into vibrancy of the economy and economic activities coming out of Apapa. By the time it is finished, Apapa would bounce back”

“NICIIS 2 intended to encourage compliance to government fiscal policies; it is also for every stakeholder to be on the same platform with customs, to embrace full automation”

“We are confidence that with the implementation of NICIIS2, we would work better, when it is time for examination, we go to the exam bay together with all concerned agencies, after this, everybody comes back to the system, once the report is issued jointly, it makes it easy for the releasing officer to raise TDO to the terminal operators”

Speaking earlier, President of MARAN, Mr. Anya Njoku stressed the need for customs to preserve the jobs of Nigerian clearing agents noting that foreigners have taken over their jobs

Njoku also said that there is need for customs service to issue clearing licenses to individuals and not corporate bodies. According to him, it is the corporate bodies that perpetrate most of the crimes in the clearance process.

“This is where most of the problems are emanating from, if you look at the form C30, we are looking at individual declarant and not cooperate declarants, it is that corperate declarant that we are having issues with and we are investigation who they are, this is why we say, we want to know who the declarant are”

“If you issue Customs license to a company, the foreigners come here and register a company, he is the managing director, but the chairman would be a Nigerian, meanwhile the managing director is the one taking decisions, signing money taking money away, so let the declarant (may) not be a corporate entity, let it be an individual so that we would know those who are criminals and hiding under corporate license”

 

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NAMTOP: LASTMA Urges Maritime Truck Drivers To Tackle Breakdowns

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More Trouble for Sanwo-Olu: Election Tribunal orders substituted service over Petition

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has urged the Nexus Association of Maritime Truck Operators (NAMTOP) to acquire private tow trucks to tackle breakdowns swiftly.

The General Manager, LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said this when NAMTOP officials paid the agency’s management a courtesy visit on Tuesday in Lagos.

Bakare-Oki said the aim was to foster synergy and cooperation between the two agencies.

The LASTMA GM, represented by the Director of Logistics and Engineering, Mr Jubril Oshodi, assured the association of a harmonious relationship.

“This will enable the association to liaise with all zonal heads to ensure swift evacuation of trucks whenever breakdowns occur,” he said.

The LASTMA boss said his tenure would centre on repositioning and reorganising the agency for professional service delivery to the motoring public with empathy.

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Oyetola Inaugurates 4.8km Road, Mooring Boats At Onne

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…Says the road symbolizes the Ministry’s commitment to make the port more viable

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola on Tuesday, inaugurated a 4.8km road “D” project and six mooring boats at the Onne Port Complex, Port Harcourt, stressing that the road, constructed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), was a demonstration of the ministry’s commitment to make the port more viable.

He said that the project was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to maximize opportunities within the maritime sector.

”This is part of the measures we are taking to enhance the ease of doing business in Onne Port

”The ministry is committed to leverage Nigeria’s maritime resources under the directives of the president,” he said.

The minister said that the mooring boats would enhance boat safety and general security within the maritime space.

Oyetola said that the Federal Government was committed towards deepening the efficiencies and full capacity utilisation of the ports in the eastern axis.

‘We are now poised more than ever to give the NPA all the support to address factors responsible for the under-utilisation of these national assets,” he said.

The minister stated that by providing port infrastructure, investor confidence would be deepened for more patronage of the eastern ports.

”I was delighted to learn that the Onne and Calabar Port complexes have met the requirements of the International Organisation for Standardisation and are now certified.

Bello-Koko Lauds MWUN for Ensuring NPA Staff's Salary Increase

The NPA Managing Director, Muhammed Bello-Koko

”This shows they we are doing something right but we cannot rest on this determination until all other ports are certified.

”I have been briefed on the growth in numbers especially for exports emanating from Onne Port Complex, and I am impressed.

”I am poised to provide the facilitation and advocacy required to grow the vessel traffic to this important nucleus of growth,” he said.

Oyetola stated that more economic growth would be achieved if more investments were done in port infrastructure.

The minister commended the management of NPA for being prudent with the application of resources that financed the project.

Oyetola reiterated his commitment to grant prompt approvals to initiatives that would enable continuous improvement in the performance of the ports.

In his speech, the Managing Director, NPA, Mohammed BelIo-Koko, thanked the minister for his support to the authority.

He said that the road and mooring-boat projects could only be completed because of the support from the ministry.

Bello-Koko said that the completion of the Road “D” project which linked Berths 9, 10, 11 and 12 at Federal Ocean Terminal would help to grow new business opportunities and increase revenue for the nation.

”This road stretches over a total of 4.8km, covering two container terminals. It will cater for no fewer than 1,000 trucks daily.

”This is a testimony that as an authority, we are repositioning for growth, competitiveness and, future-readiness.

”The road has a 250mm thickness concrete reinforcement provided for a median and side drain with high mast tower Lighting of dual carriageway.

”We are aware that a good road infrastructure requires sound marine craft and equipment, so we added six modern mooring boats to enhance habour operations efficiency,” he said.

Bello-Koko solicited the ministry’s support for concrete fencing of the stretch of land in the port to guard against any unauthorised access.

”This will also enhance the security of the investments that will spring up with the opening of this road.

The managing director commended the concessionaires for their huge investments, describing it as indicative of their confidence in the system.

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Environmental Stewardship: Maritime Experts Appraise Industry, Deep Blue Project

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…As OAF Boss, Olaitan Williams harps on the need to further protect the Planet 

She has a vision: refocusing the youths, particularly the Nigerian girl into the nation’s maritime industry. Her modus operandi is simple: encouraging, motivating and redirecting every pupil and student’s interest towards productive pursuits in marine terrain.

She is probably today, Nigeria’s most consistent and committed promoter of youths’ education in the marine and blue economy.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Ambassadors Foundation OAF, Mrs. Violet Olaitan Williams does not need much introduction in terms of her relevance and mindset for creating the desired conditions for mental and attitudinal development of the Nigerian child, particularly in Lagos State.

Lieutenant Commodore A.A Makinwa

Several times, she has ‘dragged’ students of several secondary schools in Lagos, for a day-out at Sea. 

OAF, redirecting students’ interest into the maritime terrain, at an early age…

During such periods, the lucky beneficiaries were sufficiently exposed, to jobs in the marine and blue economy sector; as well as the vital courses to pursue, in order to realise such dreams.

Only recently, she selflessly embarked on a costly documentary to meaningfully draw attention to EHINGBETI, the nucleus of the Lagos relevance as Nigeria’s most celebrated litoral state, stressing the need to regenerate Nigeria, from the symbolic lessons of its origin.

Though finally depleted and sapped at the end of the costly project, Olaitan Williams remained undaunted in her commitment to the promotion of a cause she truly believed in.

It is like, having lived her childhood days beside the shores of Lagos, she had prudently identified areas she is convinced, early and right exposures of the youths, could transform many of them, tomorrow, into job creators.

Only last week, the OAF Boss again assembled some experts to a ‘Blue Talents Career Talk’ in Lagos, to educate, impact and, enlighten students of several secondary schools, on the importance of the Ocean, the Marine and the Blue economy; the current Government’s efforts at harnessing it’s economic endowment, as well as the need to more properly, protect it.

Students learn better, by seeing it as it is…

Speaking at the occasion, a top naval officer, Lieutenant Commodore A.A Makinwa stressed the need for maritime industry Stakeholders to commend the Federal Government for initiating the Integrated National Security and Waterways Infrastructure, otherwise known as ‘the Deep Blue Project’. 

Lieutenant Commodore A.A Makinwa of the Nigerian Navy who made the call at the Blue Talents Career Talk in Lagos said the Deep Blue Project is such that accommodates almost every maritime security architecture such as NIMASA, NPA, DSS and, even the Marine Police. 

The Ocean Ambassadors Foundation CEO, Violet Olaitan Williams

According to him, “it is whole of the nation’s business and not just limited to the Nigeria Army, Navy or Airforce alone”. 

He mentioned different security agencies, identified their relevance in the security and safety web; and lauded them for the safety of the communities.

In his remark, the Guest Speaker, Engr. Jamiu Badmos while admonishing maritime security personnel not to rest on their oars also said: “You play a lot of roles in the saving of lives of the people and that is why security and safety have links.

“In security, you protect the vessel from any external aggression and the people inside the vessel but in safety, you look more on the people inside the vessel and how to protect them” Badmos stressed. 

Earlier in her speech, Violet Olaitan Williams while welcoming participants at the well-attended event, stated that “by embracing a culture of Safety, Responsibility and Environmental stewardship, you can also ensure a brighter future for the planet and all who call it home!”. 

ALSO READ: BLUE Economy: Synergise With FME, Create Future for Girl Child, Informed Delegates urge Oyetola

The topic for this year’s Blue Talents Career Talk organized by Ocean Ambassadors Foundation was “An Overview of Safety and Security in the Maritime and Blue Economy” with a special focus on goals 3, 8, 14; and 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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