Govt agencies sabotaging 24-hour port operation – NPA

Some Federal Government agencies operating at the seaports are violating the executive order signed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo towards 24-hour port operations and synergy among such agencies, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman, has said.

Osinbajo while serving as acting president in 2017 had signed the executive order on the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the business environment and directed the resumption of 24-hour operations at the Apapa port.

He also banned touting at all air, land and sea ports.

But Bala-Usman, while featuring on a television programme, said only the NPA had obeyed the order, while other agencies refused to do so, even as she noted the agencies flouting the order had not been sanctioned.

She said, “If you recall there is an executive order that was signed by the vice-president, which directed all agencies of government to conduct inspection (of containers) in one location and that executive order was signed in 2017.

“Certain agencies of government have not complied and one of the things we have said is sanction for non-compliance with an executive order that was released cannot be done by the Nigerian Ports Authority.”

She stated that if an agency of government violated an executive order signed by the vice president, the presidency should sanction that agency for non-compliance.

She said the essence of all agencies doing inspection on one location was for consignees not to have multiple areas of inspection.

The NPA boss said she had reported the matter to the Presidential Council on Ease of Doing Business chaired by Osinbajo but nothing was done about the flouting of the order.

She noted that port operations would not run smoothly if only the NPA was complying with set regulations.

Bala-Usman said, “There is an executive order to that extent. Some agencies have not complied. There have been several explanations and justifications for the non-compliance by these agencies. The NPA has raised it to the Presidential Council on Ease of Doing Business chaired by the VP to ensure sanctioning for non-compliance and as I keep saying if a directive is given and agencies don’t comply, if there are no consequences for action and inaction, that means I have not performed.”

She asked the FG to hold agencies not complying with the directive accountable for their actions.

“For example, we have 24-hour port operation that has been directed. All agencies of government are required to deploy personnel to have 24-hour port operation.

“We deployed our personnel but the other legs were absent. And of course, we cannot sanction other agencies of government,” she stated.

Bala-Usman stressed that the Apapa gridlock would end with the introduction of the electronic call-up system for port operations.

 

According to her, the new policy, set to take effect from February 27, will move Apapa ports operations to a digital format.

“The electronic call-up is key as you are aware that anything electronic seeks to remove human intervention,” she said.

She said the creation of truck parks was vital to the new electronic call-up system.

“We have eight truck parks that have been approved by Nigerian Ports Authority and the Lagos State government,” she said.

She added that the electronic call-up system would address extortion in the truck parks.

She said, “It takes away the idea that an officer, be it LASTMA, police or ports security, will give authority to go into the port, which may give room for extortion.

“All trucks that intend to assess the ports both for drop-offs and pick-ups have to do it from the approved truck parks.

“Cargo must also be ready for collection before trucks begin their journey; that proposed sanity should help in tackling the Apapa gridlock.”