FG’s agencies flouting Presidential Order at the ports, says NPA

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is seeking the intervention of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo over non-compliance by some government agencies with the Presidential Order on the Ease of Doing Business at Ports.

The Managing Director of NPA, Ms Hadiza Usman said this on Saturday in Lagos.

Our correspondent reports that the Office of the Vice President oversees the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) which issued the Presidential Order.

The Order streamlined the activities of all agencies in the nation’s ports to achieve a 24-hour cargo clearance target.

The NPA managing director was told by a delegation of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) that some government agencies were flouting the Presidential directive.

She said, in response, that it was regrettable that some agencies had not fully complied with the Order.

Usman said that the authority would continue to fulfil its own part of the Order, adding that NPA could not compel other agencies to do what they were supposed to do.

“NPA is implementing its own part of the Order. We cannot compel other agencies to do what they are supposed to do,’’ she said in a statement.

She noted that aggrieved stakeholders should also report the defaulting agencies to the appropriate authorities.

The National Vice President of ANCLA, Dr Kayode Farinto urged the managing director to intervene to ensure that officials of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine are prevented from entering the ports.

Farinto also made an appeal that NPA should ensure that the newly- constructed temporary Truck Park at Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) is put to immediate use.