Stakeholders warn against return of SON, others to ports

STAKEHOLDERS in the Nigerian maritime sector has warned against the return of sacked agencies to the ports. (SON and other government agencies)

It would be recalled that the Federal Government Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business restricted some agencies of government to operate from outside the ports, while allowing only eight agencies to remain in the ports.

Speaking to journalists recently in Lagos, the President of the Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS), Rev. Jonathan Nicol warned against return of SON and other government agencies to the port if the government is serious about reducing cost and time of doing business at the port.

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“We don’t need some of these agencies in the ports.  If it is just to bring in goods and pay duty and to pay Customs duty and take goods out of the port, then why are SON and other agencies needed in the Port?

“I don’t see why they should remain at the ports.

“I travelled to Germany and Hamburg ports; one hardly sees human beings in the ports. The same is happening in Columbus and Sri Lanka, Customs is not at the ports. You can only have contacts with the trucks when goods are coming out, that’s how it should be.”

“What is so special about shippers bringing cargoes that everyone wants to take slice of the cake? It is not good for everyone.”

In his own reaction, maritime consultant, Galtima Lima accused agencies of plotting return to the port for doing so for pecuniary gains.

Lima asked why all government agencies want to return to the ports when their businesses can be done online.

He said, “There is pre-shipment that is done abroad. The port vicinity shouldn’t be for touts.  You can do port operations online now because the world has gone digital and those asking agencies  to be present at the  port have their ulterior or pecuniary reasons for doing that and government should be weary of organisations insisting on being at the port.”