Stakeholders at the nation’s maritime sector had been speaking on their expectations from the federal government as it affects the maritime sector of the economy.
Respondents who aired their views in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos said they expect so much from the government moreso as the year 2016 could be described as a year of many woes for the practitioners in the industry.
According to the Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), PTML Chapter, Elder Samuel Obe urged the federal government to take a critical look at the nation’s maritime sector so as to review all the policies that were negative to the growth of the sector and lacking human face.
He emphatically wanted the government to review the rate of duty for import purposes adding that when government was banning importation from the land borders and it wants the goods to come to the country, then it must review its unfriendly policies as to attract more cargo.
“I wish that the federal government should take a look at the maritime sector and review all the policies that are negative and lacking human face. I want the government to review the rate of duty because when you are banning importation from land borders, you want the goods to come to Nigeria, then you have to review your policies in order to suit Nigerians”, he said.
On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Tincan Island Chapter, Alhaji Isiaka Olalere agreed with Obe as he wants he government to reduce the tariffs on so many commodities being imported into the country as according to him, it would boost importation.
“If that is done, the agents will work; the operation of the truckers will be improved also. Things are hard and I don’t expect the government to put more hardship on the citizens of the country”, he said.
The RTEAN Chairman also begged the federal government to reconstruct all the roads across the country especially those of them at the port environment as he opined that the roads around the ports were not okay.
He said,” We are only enjoying it now because we are in the dry season. When the rains come, we start with the problem again. The ones they reconstructed the other time was just a palliative measure, it is not the real reconstruction. So, let them repair it so that everywhere will be okay. This is the gateway to the economy. You cannot count the number of vehicles that have fallen as a result of bad roads. We expect the government to do something about it this year because if our roads are good, all our trucks will be okay”.
Also speaking, the National President, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), Dr. Frank Ukor noted that he did not see any possibility that this year would be better that last year since the country had fully gone into recession but however stated that they would keep praying to God for him to intervene even as he observed that it is through human beings that God would intervene and those human beings are Nigerians who had proven to be getting worse by the day.
According to him,” Let the government change its fiscal policy and let them change the FOREX policy that compounded the ugly situation. Once it is done, we might begin to breathe fresh air and things might begin to change and we might begin to see improvements in our economy. Everything depends on the government; it is the government’s policies that dictate everything”.
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