By Godwin Oritse and Godfrey Bivbere

Presidential directive on 24-hour operations at the nation’s ports is being frustrated by disagreement between the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) and maritime operators.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the economy, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, recently at a press briefing in New York during the World Bank meetings, said that the President has directed that port operations must be on 24-hour basis.

Investigations, however, revealed that the directive is yet to be implemented. Though stakeholders agree that the directive is practicable and good for the economy, they however disagree on why it is not being implemented. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) attributed the delay in the implementation to agents and banks, but maritime operators said the NCS is responsible for the delay.

Speaking with Vanguard on the issue, spokesman for APM Terminals, Bolaji Akinola, said that 24-hour operations have been going on in the ports in Lagos. He explained that the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has been carrying out marine operations (pilotage of vessels) on 24-hour basis over the years.

He also pointed out that loading and off-loading of containers to and from  ships has been on for a while, stressing that what is missing is the absence of 24-hour examination of goods at the ports by Customs.

Akinola said that another problem that hinders 24 hours ports operations was that of insecurity in the country, saying that it makes it difficult for consignees to take delivery of their goods after a particular time of the day.

“Consignees cannot come forward for their consignments after certain time; they cannot take delivery of their consignments after certain time of the day because of the security challenges in the country,” Akinola said.

Debunking the claims, Public Relations Officer, NCS, Wale Adeniyi, said that NCS has drawn up a roster for 24-hour operations, although the schedule is not  operational at the moment.

Adeniyi said that the Customs service had actually commenced 24-hour operations immediately after the directive but had to stop because shipping companies and banks were not operating the same hour of service to complement the 24-hour port operations.

He said that the Customs had prepared a roster and had posted men and officers to man its various positions at the terminals, but the Service had to return its men and officers to their various posts because the banks and agents were not forthcoming and the agency could not continue to waste manpower.

He noted that in a situation were shipping companies were not sending containers for examination and the banks were not open for agents to pay their duties, the efforts of the Customs came to naught.

“If one, two or three agencies are ready for the project and the banks and agents who are also very key to the entire project are not ready, there is nothing anybody can do about it”, he said.

National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, in his response to the position of the Customs said that it is not true that shipping companies and banks hinder the implementation of the directive on 24-hour port operations.

According to him, “24-hour examination of consignments does not need shipping companies or banks.” He said that what they need are terminal operators who will position consignments for examination.   Shittu explained that they recently held a meeting with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, where they requested for officers to be posted to the ports for weekend operations.

He noted that their request was granted and the Customs boss promised to direct the Customs Area Controllers, CAC, at the various ports to take action. The ANLCA boss however, noted that midnight ports operations is possible but may not be realistic for now as a result of the challenging security situation in the country.

He explained that terminal operators are ready for weekend operations and containers examined over the weekend are those that will proceed for delivery during the week. He said that the advantages of weekend operations are very many, saying that agents should take advantage of it.

He further pointed out that with sincerity on the part of all stakeholders in port operations, 24-hour cargo delivery will be possible. He averred that 24-hour port operation is possible and practicable, adding that the recently introduced biometric identification card for agents can be used for duty payment.

Dikko said that Customs now carry out examination of containers at weekends and this, according to him, has gone a long way to quicken cargo delivery process.

He explained that an agent can upload his invoice electronically and make duty payment through the same process, noting that it is only the terminal operators and shipping firms that would upgrade their systems and operations to make them assessable electronically.

“We are currently working with some terminal operators to upgrade our portal so as to make them assessable for e-payment. It is operators who want to continue in their corrupt way of life that will think and say that 24-hour port operation is not possible,” he added.

General Manager in charge of Public Affairs, NPA, Chief Michael Ajayi, said that NPA has been operating on a 24-hour basis even before the port was concessioned.

Ajayi stated that NPA has been running a shift system from the time it was created; adding that 24 hours port operations is not new to its management. He also said that besides the NPA and the Nigeria Customs Service being ready for 24 hours port operation, there is need for others, particularly the banking sector to key into the project, adding that when fully implemented, it would create job opportunities in virtually every sub-sector of the Nigerian maritime industry.

Ajayi explained that with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), importers and agents can pay import duty electronically and confirm same to the Customs through the same means.

The NPA spokesman added that importers can do their documentation in the night and take delivery of their cargo in the morning so as to beat security challenges at night.

On the issue of added cost to terminal operators, Ajayi explained that a high turnover of container operations will lead to high financial turn over, more revenue for both Customs and NPA, explaining that more jobs will be created and the economy will be better for it.

On his part, Managing Director of Cotecna Destination Nigeria Limited, CDNL, Mr. Tayo Rabiu, in an interview with Vanguard, said that Cotecna has since commenced 24- hour service at both Tincan and Apapa ports.

Rabiu explained that they do this by posting their workers in shift to ensure that scanning operations go on 24 hours at the scanning sites. On whether scanning services are carried out at the bonded terminals, the Cotecna boss said that they are not doing so presently but stressed that they have the capacity to do so should they be directed to.

An agent  based at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Mr. Anekwe,  who spoke in support of the 24-hour port operation directive, said that operations at the airport is on a 24-hour basis as Customs officers are always on ground to attend to cargo airlines that come in at odd hours of the day.

He stated that the issue of 24-hour port operations is not new to them, adding that agents will prefer to get their customers’ goods out of the port as soon as possible. He emphasized, however, that service providers will not allow the system to work smoothly due to personal gratification, saying that they cause delays to ensure that goods run into demurrage.

He was of the opinion that the 24-hour operations directive will be better for everybody but the delay caused by Customs in the course of examination is another issue that must be looked into. He added that it was these delays caused by the Customs that lead to demurrages charged by service providers at the Lagos airport.

He said that agents at the airport now go to work on Sundays so as to ensure that their goods leave the place as soon as possible. “As there are jobs to be done, the agents are ready to work on a 24-hour basis and sometimes they are so engrossed in their work that they forget to eat. You can do your documentation and take delivery as early as 5 in the morning, “he said.