A major face-off between federal government agencies is looming as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has given a marching order to those it termed unauthorised government agencies to vacate the seaports or risk being arrested.
The directive is in line with a new order issued to NPA by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
PEBEC directed NPA to ensure strict compliance to the October 26, 2011, Presidential directive on agencies permitted to operate in the ports.
The NPA, therefore, reiterated that only eight federal government agencies were allowed to operate and have physical representation at all port locations in the country.
General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications of NPA, Abdullahi Goje, in a statement, said the agencies allowed representation at the ports were: Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Nigerian Customs Service (NCS); Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Nigeria Police; Department of State Security (DSS); Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Port Health and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The directive stated that other agencies not mentioned in the list should remain outside the ports premises as the Nigerian Customs Service, which is the lead agency for inspection of cargoes, had developed standard operating procedures to facilitate their seamless operation.
“The NPA remains committed to the determination of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to enhance the ease of doing business in the country and the improvement of conditions under which business is carried out in all ports across the country.
“The NPA solicits for the kind support of all agencies and stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime sector towards actualising the noble goal of making Nigeria a destination of choice for all legitimate businesses,” Goje said.
The affected agencies include National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), among others.
The issue of so many agencies operating in the ports has been a source of concern to port operators, and they often blame the high cost of transacting business in Lagos ports on the multiple agencies that make clearance of goods cumbersome.
This is not the first time the issue of some agencies quitting the ports has come up, but in the end the directive may not be implemented.
The argument by the two agencies not listed among those to stay at the ports namely NAFDAC and SON has been that their functions are very important in checking sub-standard and fake food, drugs and products coming into the country through the ports.
As at the time of writing this report, Friday February 16, it was not known whether they had complied as NPA had given the affected agencies 24 hours to quit.
