By GODFREY BIVBERE & Victoria Edama

Operators in the maritime industry have condemned the high level of empty containers returned to their countries of origin without taking cargo, noting that the practice is taking a toll on the nation’s economy.

Chief Executive Officer of Shiba Services Ltd, Babatunde Shittu, told Vanguard that the situation showed the level of neglect of local industry and the over concentration of imported goods from other countries.

Shittu pointed out that unless government takes a drastic measure to curb this trend, the nation’s dependence on importation would continue unabated. To this end, he charged the government to look at the problems affecting local industries with a view to correcting them. One of the areas to urgently look at is the issue of energy supply that must be improved to encourage the productive sector of the economy.

The CEO of Shiba Services Ltd., said that energy situation forced one of his companies, Carbon Coal Road Technology which produces cold asphalt to stop production. He further noted that another factor that is affecting the productive sector of the economy is the policy of the government that is not friendly to local operators.

He noted that there is a big market as the product is demanded mostly by the federal and state governments, adding that there is also a big market in terms of exportation.

Shittu explained that lack of control of the goods imported into the country has resulted in the abandonment of some of the things that were hitherto produced locally. He pointed out that until government shows willingness to address the issue, the economy will remain import dependent and empty containers will continue to litter the nation’s ports

Similarly, Francis Omotosho, an Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) chieftain blamed the situation on government policies which makes made in Nigerian goods uncompetitive.