Agents under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) have explained to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) how officers attached to the Maritime Guard Police Command (MGPC) and the Port Authority Police Command (PAPC), both under the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) complicate cargo clearance at the ports.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman over the weekend, the Acting National President of ANLCA, Dr Kayode Farinto explained that police officers attached to the Maritime Guard Command under an AIG write letters to Shipping Companies and Terminal Operators to stop already cleared cargoes from exiting the ports.
Enumerating some of the challenges, Dr Kayode Farinto pointed accusing fingers, with supporting documents at the Maritime Guard Police Command for interfering with cargoes that have been duly examined and properly released by Customs from the Ports.
“This practice has been sustained over the years despite countless complaints against it, and the fact that the Nigeria Police Force, through the Port Authority Police Command (PAPC) participates in Customs joint examination of cargoes, before they are eventually released to leave the ports.
Yet, after this joint examination which includes police officers attached to the PAPC, this cargo are denied exit from the ports by police officers attached to the Maritime Guard Command,” the ANLCA Acting National President lamented.
Dr Farinto further pleaded with the NPA to kindly intervene by bringing the anomaly to the notice of the Inspector General of Police. He also advised that both PAPC and MGPC should be collapsed into one if need be.
Another issue raised by the licensed customs agents is the non-implementation of the Ease of Doing Business (EODB) policy of the Federal Government at the ports, as envisaged.
This inactivation of the EODB has made the Ports home to several agencies that extort licensed customs agents, especially during cargoes examination, thereby escalating the cost of transactions, delays and sometimes totally obstruct cargo delivery processes.
The agents also revealed that despite a sub-committee of the EODB constituted by the NPA issuing directives stopping further examination of Customs-released cargoes at the exit Gate, Customs has not complied with the order or directive up till this moment.
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Responding to the challenges presented, Hadiza Bala Usman requested a formal letter to her office complaining about the police interference with duly released cargoes.
The NPA boss promised to visit the IGP in order to find a lasting solution to the unnecessary interference of the Maritime Guard Police with cargo clearance.
She also promised to bring up the matter at PEBEC meetings, as a member of that committee that has the Vice President – Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as Chairman.
On the Agencies approved to be present in the Ports, Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman directed her Technical Assistant- Ikechukwu Onyemekara to send the list of approved Departments and Agencies in the Ports to all stakeholders, for their information and necessary action.
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