How to achieve efficiency in maritime industry - Stakeholders

Tayo Oladipupo |

As a way of accelerating development of the Maritime industry to international standard and ridding the sector of its multiple challenges, critical stakeholders have given tips on how to overcome the challenges.

Maritime stakeholders from the shipping, freight forwarding, business and other subsector took part in this decision making recently.

Having identified the various challenges slowing down the growth of the Maritime, the stakeholders at the recent Primetime Reporters annual lecture and awards recently held in Lagos came up with a communique.

Among the critical challenges, the stakeholders identified the bad roads leading to the port as one of the major stumbling block of the sector as well as commitment on the paper of government officials to execute the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council Policy.

The stakeholders included, Eugen Nweje, former President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Muda Balogun, Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Kosenu Balogun, Managing Director of Tarzan Boat and Jetty.

Others included the Managing Director of Lagos Ferry Service (LAGFERRY), representatives of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council among others.

They observed that the 24 hours port operations have not been fully successful due to non-availability of some key government officials to effectively carry out their duties and responsibilities.

According to them, the single window operation is not yet operational despite the fact that Nigeria started the project before Ghana, among other challenges.

Proffering solutions to the myriad of problems, the stakeholders said that the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) should be strictly administered.

They said the government should task the contractor handling the two kilometres Apapa port access road to speed up the construction.

The communique read in part, “That Management of The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) should be more interested in trade facilitation instead of raking in higher revenue;

“That goods should be examined electronically that is with the aid of scanners as it would speed up the process of cargo evacuation and reduce sharp practice;

“That Government should also speed up the parking bay being constructed in Tincan Island port and set up other trucking bays to reduce the gridlock in Apapa.

“That Key stakeholders in the maritime sector should be consulted before important policies and laws are formulated, to avoid weak and poor policy implementation.

“That the Government should strengthen its various institutions and agencies so that the latter can effectively control, sanction and reward stakeholders who may breach such ethics,” among other suggestions.