In its determination and renewed drive towards the implementation and enforcement of regulations and policies aimed at operational efficiency through the ease of doing business in all the Ports across the nation, the Federal Government has urged for the co-operation and collaboration of all relevant approved agencies and stakeholders within the Port environment in order to actualize the swift implementation of the Executive Order recently released by the Government concerning 24-hour operations at the nation’s seaports.
This statement was made by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman who was accompanied by the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) during a stakeholders meeting held at the Conference Room of the Western Ports, Apapa, Lagos.
Hadiza pointed out that the Executive Order approved by the Government recently was targeted at improving efficient port operations which would be critically enforced to the latter through the harmonization of operational ideas and views by the relevant agencies.
The Executive Order according to her would ensure that unauthorized personnel in the ports were refused access thereby reducing human traffic. Stringent measure would be put in place also at to reduce corrupt practices that could hamper greater efficient operation across the Ports. It would also prioritize the exportation of agricultural produce and mineral resources at the ports by way of location creating special dedication for this purpose. This Order is to be actualized within 30 days of its issuance.
The NPA helmsperson assured all stakeholders present at the meeting that the approved agencies would ensure that it worked round the clock towards the swift implementation of this order.
She said, “We intend to discuss on ways of harmonizing our operational bases and challenges to achieving the ease of doing business within our ports”, whilst calling on all and sundry to collaborate most efficiently as the gateway to the nation economy needs to be appropriately serviced.
She postulated that touting henceforth was not permitted just as giving and taking bribe at the ports was outlawed.
The Executive Order she stated also provided for disciplinary actions on defaulters who would be made to face the full weight of the law concerning this Orders.
The agencies streamlined to operate at the Ports according to Hadiza Bala Usman, are the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Ports Health.
Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.), in his remarks reiterated the importance of the Executive Order as a strategy towards the change process put in place by the Government towards the improved operational efficiency in our Ports.
He stated that, “the Order would allow for the reduction in the time of transaction by our customers through the elimination of bureaucracy and various bottle necks prevalent presently in our Ports”.
Furthermore, the Comptroller-General opined that the Executive Order would also ensure that port users were protected from unnecessary expenditure, adding that “we need to join hands together to achieving this mandate; we should ensure that we do not lengthen the period of doing business at the Ports unnecessarily”.
On the entourage of the Managing Director of NPA were Executive Directors, Marine and Operations, Dr, Sokonte Huttin Davies, Engineering and Technical Services, Prof. Idris Abubarkar and other top Management of the Organization including Stakeholders.
Photo: The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman (right) and the Comptroller General Of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) at the stakeholders meeting on the implementation of the Executive Order of the Federal Government on Port Operations at NPA, Western Ports in Apapa, Lagos.
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