Transport Minister Frowns Over Overtime Cargos in Eastern Ports, Tasks customs
By Francis Ugwoke
The Transport Minister, Alhaji Muazu Sambo, has expressed concerns over the issue of overtime cargos in the Eastern ports.
Sambo told stakeholders at a meeting in Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt, during a facility tour of the Eastern ports that the issue was alarming, adding that the management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) should be able to find a solution to the problem.
The Minister said that the affected cargos were occupying strategic spaces with the negative impact on revenue in the ports.
He added that what could be worrisome was that some of the cargos may have expired and therefore with high risk of explosion in the ports.
Sambo called on the Customs and other stakeholders to come up with suggestions on what to do to address the problem.
However, when contacted on the issue, the National Public Relations Officer of the Customs, Deputy Comptroller Timi Bomodi blamed importers and customs agents over the problem.
Bomodi said the ports were not warehouses for importers to leave their goods, adding that the Service has made all processes easier for the importers and their agents to clear their goods.
It would be recalled that the Minister had during the tour last week promised that the federal government will address issues of infrastructural decay affecting trade facilitation at Onne Seaport.
Sambo during a visit to Onne as the first port of call said the reason for the facility tour was to find out the challenges of the seaport for the federal government action.
He said he visited Onne first to assess the true situation on ground and know where to take action that can ease trade facilitation.
The Minister said he wants to find out how the Eastern ports can be patronized after the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) offered 30 percent incentives for importers and shipping companies using the seaport.
He said how to ensure patronage of the Eastern port has been on for sometimes now, adding that the federal government was determined to address the issue.
He explained that this was because the Eastern ports was strategic in addressing the challenges of congestion being faced in Lagos ports.
He said, “Part of the reasons why I am here is to see why the ports here are not being patronized. It is an issue that has been on the table for a long time. Whatever the challenges here, we are going to address them squarely. Part of the visit is to hold a meeting with stakeholders to find out from them directly what the burning issues are, then we can draw up short term medium term goals”.
The minister expressed delight over the ongoing new terminal development at ICTSI Onne under a lease agreement with the NPA.
Sambo said the new terminals being developed was capable of generating a lot of jobs for the youths.
The Minister during the tour visited most of the terminals in Onne, including Brawal, Intels, West Africa Container Terminal.
At Intels terminals, the Minister was informed of three berths which have collapsed for long now.
He ordered that the NPA should address the issue as the authority has already planned rehabilitation of dilapidated infrastructures.
The Deputy Managing Director of Brawal, Mr Charles Etobo had complained to the Minister that the company was suffering shortage of berths, adding that this has made the terminal operator lose one of its clients to another terminal.
The Minister had following this requested the company to send the profile of his company to his office.
The Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko disclosed that a lot of issues affecting patronage of Eastern ports are being addressed.
Bello Koko pointed out that in terms of security, this has improved in the ports.
He also disclosed that the management of the NPA has started procurement process for the acquisition of patrol boats for the Eastern ports.
He said that while dredging has started in some Eastern ports, it has remained a problem in some areas because of oil pipeline installations.
Sambo had also hinted that the federal government will do something about the state of the roads.
He said the Ministry of Works was handling the issue before he left the Ministry to the Transport sector.
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