Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), has identified inefficiency of some terminal operators, witnessed in the lack of cargo handling equipment which causes delay as adversely impacting on general port operations.
The National President of ANLCA, Mr Tony Iju stated this when he paid a visit to the Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki in her office -Abuja in company of other National Executive Council members.
Mr. Iju called for the automation of all transactional processes of all Shipping Companies and Terminal operators in order to minimize human contacts, facilitate trade and grantee ease of doing business.
He urged her to use her good office to reach out to relevant ministries to ensure that scanners are installed without further delay, stressing that non availability of durable, tropicalised scanners had contributed greatly to impending trade facilitation.
More so Iju said, “Duplicity of Government Security Agencies at the Airports, Seaports and border ports sheds, with almost similar responsibilities should be looked into. Indiscriminate and multiple Alerts place on Cargoes by different Customs Units and Security Agencies. Although, we know that the Nigeria Customs Service is not under your supervision bur as a member of the Federal Executive Council, your office can be influential in drawing government and other ministry’s attention in righting the wrongs in the port.
“ANLCA will also appreciate your efforts in reaching out to your colleagues supervising NAFDAC, SON, QUARANTINE and the security Agencies, to come up with their standard operating procedures, for our members to key into”.
The ANLCA chieftain used the forum to congratulate her on her appointment as the Honourable Minister of State for Transportation and hoped that her tenure would bring the much deserved ease of doing business in the ports, border stations as well as facilitate trade across our Nigerian International borders.