The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has described the Executive Orders signed by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as a direct indictment on the heads of the various government agencies associated with proper management and administration of port activities and operations.
NAGAFF which made this known in a press release signed in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary; Mr. Stanley Ezenga posited that that there was nothing new in the Executive Orders for the reasons that there were extant laws and regulations guiding the ports operations as approved by the Government for which the Head of Ministries, departments and Agencies were expected to ensure compliance in accordance with the law, regulations and port orders.
The association however opined that if the Executive Order should become the tonic for agents of the government to enforce regulations at the ports so be it adding that in the instance wherein the leadership of NAFDAC, NDLEA, Port Health and others may not have visited the ports formally with a view to seeing things for themselves and to ascertain how effective their representatives were performing at the ports, was most regrettable.
“The prevalence of fake and adulterated products in our markets entering through our ports should have attracted the NAFDAC leadership to the ports with a view to conferring with critical stakeholders as to the best way to stem the tide. The modern day administration is predicated on the principle of Public/Private Partnership (PPP) with a view to achieving Government’s objective in its mandate for a greater Nigeria. And for the emphasis, it is regrettable that a Head of government organization will sit in the comfort of his/her office in Abuja and issue policies without finding out and seeing things by him/herself at the ports is most unfortunate and regrettable.
“In the opinion of NAGAFF, the spirit and letters of Section 5 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, means, that the Executive Powers of Mr. President has been delegated to the heads of government agencies to act on behalf of Mr. President who is not expected to be everywhere. Even at that, we are witnesses to the efforts of Mr. President, the Vice President and the legislatures through their oversight functions are visiting most locations of the economic activities to see things themselves. Whereas many of the appointed government agents are sitting down in their various offices dishing out orders without a follow-up as a form of evaluation of the policies to see how compliant their officers are with the spirit and letter of trade policies and implementation. If proper evaluation and follow-up is done, it is only then that where lapses in form of carrying out these policies are found, solutions can be appropriately proffered.
“In the opinion of NAGAFF, this kind of attitude is a clear sabotage to the expected productivity under the mantra of “change” of the present administration. NAGAFF is of the opinion that Mr. President should be circumspect/diligent in appointing people into responsible positions if we must succeed in reordering our economy because of their strategic importance in the implementation and enforcement of commercial trade laws, regulations and port orders.
“We are all aware that the situation on ground with regard to the access roads to the ports of Lagos and Onne is terrible even as the gateway to the nation’s economy, and yet somebody as the head of government agency is directly in-charge. It is easier for all to call Mr. President names whereas we are the problem of the country because Mr. President cannot be everywhere. Accordingly we urge Mr. President to urgently re-appraise the performance index of Heads of government agencies whose duty is detailed at the gateways of the nation’s economy. We shall continue to be appreciative of the leadership of NPA, NCS, NIMASA and NSC in their efforts to see that business is made easy in our ports environment and operations.
“On the part of the government, NAGAFF shall continue to encourage government to ensure that its agencies are duly funded to give them the necessary impetus to discharge their responsibilities. This has become necessary and urgent because people are really complaining over the state of the port environment with regard to access roads, capacity building and obedience to rule of law. As we posited above, the content of the Executive Order is not new, but rather it may be to reiterate the intendment of government activities”, the statement read in part.
It argued that the Executive orders which bothers on issues relating to touting, trespass, soliciting and receiving bribes, coordinated operations, capture, track and record information on all goods arriving and departing Nigeria, dedicating of existing terminal for exports of agricultural produce and enhancement of 24-hours port operations in Apapa did not really require Executive Orders if the agents of government were proactive to their duty.
NAGAFF therefore believed that in the spirit and letters of mantra of “change” this was the time for all parties to adhere to rule of law, hard work and compliant to rules of engagement saying that it was expected that government’s organizations should engage the stakeholders in a massive education and enlightenment of government intentions and objectives of making the ports friendly, competitive and productive.
“The Nigerian importers, exporters and freight forwarders should strive to be compliant to international trade regulations and guidelines to enable trade facilitation in our ports succeed”, the statement said.
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