Hyacinth Chinweuba
Customs agents have criticised the revised import and export guidelines which provided so much for palletisation in containers and played down on the use of scanners at the ports.
National President of National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Agents (NCMDCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero described the policy as faulty as it takes Nigeria backward, arguing that there is nowhere in the world with such practice.
Amiwero said the implication will mean more cost of doing business at the ports for importers.
He said pallets will create extra cost for shippers who do not need them, adding that it will delay and discourage shipment into Nigerian Ports.
He argued that this was even as the policy was against (international regulation on wood materials as pallets, crates and loose dunnage are seen as carriers of invasive species of insects and plant diseases.
With the regulation, pallets, crates of woods will require special treatment that will mean more cost and delays for the shipper who would want to meet up with the shipping requirement.
Amiwero also pointed out that the mandatory enforcement of palletized goods in containers will reduce the normal shipment into container and increase the number of containers for each shipment.
He explained that this was as a result of the space the pallet will occupy, which will lead to increase of more containers for shipment.
He also added that the mandatory enforcement of pallets on containerized goods, will attract the presence of the plant quarantine officers in the port to regulate the Implementation of (IPPC) and additional cost, which will increase the process and cost to importer/licensed customs agents.
“The restriction in the used of pallets, in application by international Community in shipment, is to reduce the carriage of invasive species of insets and plant disease into their economy”, he said.
Amiwero pointed out that the revised import guidelines did not pay attention to scanners, adding that there was non-intrusive inspection tool used for inspection to limit the physical examination with small forklift, to lift pallet, which contravenes provisions of the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
Noting that since palletisation will increase the number of containers, he said this will create more empty containers in the country that will cause congestion.
He criticized the non-inclusion of scanners in the import guidelines as a contravention of the inspection procedure in Nigerian ports, “which means that Scanning will not be applied to goods in Nigeria”.
The NCMDCA President called for the repair of scanners that have broken down at the ports to remove the mandatory provision of palletized goods in containers on Nigerian shipment.
He said that except this is done, the delay and the cost implication will lead to another round of possible diversion of vessels and goods meant for Nigerian ports.
He also said government should bear in mind that some goods by international practice are not to be palletized.
He identified such goods as equipment, vehicles, homogenous goods, rice, and chemicals, among others.