…Applauds Lagos Customs commands on export guidelines
A maritime practitioner, Sir Tony Anakebe has called on the Federal Government to come out with an economic blueprint that will guide the investors to determine the economic direction of the government.
Anakebe who made this call in a chat with newsmen in Lagos stated that an economic blueprint which would point government’s economic direction at least for the next one year would provide entrepreneurs with what to study and to start planning their businesses which would in turn stabilize he economy.
According to him,” The only thing I am asking the government is for them to bring its economic blueprint for the next one year so that when the entrepreneurs in the country study it, they will start planning their businesses and it will help in stabilizing the economy in the next one year.
“But when you don’t produce the economic blueprint, people don’t know where to start nor where they are going and let us have an economic team that will ensure that the blueprint is implemented to the later”.
He appealed to the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his team to toe the next line of action as most of the Nigerian ports were dead while the ports of the neighbouring countries were growing adding that the neighbouring countries were feeding their citizens from the proceed that accrued from their ports even as he argued that Nigeria could do the same.
Meanwhile, Sir Anakebe has applauded the commands that make up the Zone A in Lagos state over their strict adherence to export guidelines saying that they had helped in stopping exportation of goods that failed to meet international standards on export.
Anakebe who was reacting to a recent report that showed that exports through Lagos ports dwindled in 2015 while it boomed in the northern borders and Airports averred that if exporters were using borders in the North more than they use Lagos ports, it could be as a result of diligent effort on the parts of the customs officers in the Lagos area which according to him was the best as one cannot anything he likes.
“I know how many containers of exports that have been impounded here in Lagos and some officers sanctioned. So, if the exports through Lagos have dwindled, well, it is okay, it means that customs officers here are working. But if you have the right goods to export, I don’t think customs will do anything that will disturb you from exporting. But if it is dwindling in Lagos and it is booming in the North, it means that the Lagos customs commands are doing their work perfectly”, he said.
Asked whether the reason was not because the North produces more agricultural products for export than the South, he answered,” No! That is not the reason because even if you export vegetables through the borders in the north, you can equally export vegetables through the Lagos ports or Lagos Airports. Whatever you bring for export and it is well packaged and meets the requirements; I don’t think customs will delay you”.
Send your news, press releases/articles to info@primetimereporters.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @reportersinfo and on Facebook at facebook.com/primetimereporters or call the editor on 07030661526.
