By Godwin Oritse

There are indications that the nation’s export trade is currently being threatened as some unidentified exporters and transporters have devised means to undermine the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the movement of export cargoes from designated Export Processing Terminals in Lagos, by circumventing the established rules and regulations governing port entry.

This development has led to congestion of Export Processing Terminals within the princit of the Lagos Ports as cargoes meant for movement into Apapa ports are currently stuck at these approved Terminals.

Emerging reports suggest that these exporters may be working to sabotage the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) initiated by the Nigerian Ports Authority, by sidestepping the official protocols for port entry.

The development Vanguard gathered, has disrupted the operation of the approved EPTs in Lagos as exporters that follow the protocol for port entry have had their cargoes stuck as they are not regularly called into Apapa port due to the activities of exporters that operates outside the protocol.

Vanguard gathered that this development has disrupted operations at the approved Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) in Lagos.

Exporters who adhere to the established port entry protocols have experienced delays, with their cargoes stuck due to the activities of those bypassing the standard procedures.

It was gathered that the unauthorized movement of export cargoes typically takes place under the cover of night, amid allegations that several government officials at Eleganza round about responsible for overseeing such operations have been compromised.

Vanguard’s investigation revealed that trucks carrying export goods now occupy the service lane at the Sunrise end of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Commercial road, opposite Guaranty Trust Bank all the way to Mr. Biggs Junction, as well as Creek road, turning it into a waiting area, truck park for nightly movement to the Lagos Port Complex.

Vanguard further gathered that movement of export cargoes into the ports was caused by an approved ETP that is far from the port corridors.

This particular ETP, it was gathered, admits in their facility and exit trucks into port virtually thereby circumventing the call up system instituted by the NPA, a development that is at variance with the Standard Operating Procedure of admitting export trucks into the ports.

The move of admitting trucks virtually is also against the established process through which NPA makes requests from EPTs for export truck and container manifests before such cargoes are admitted into the ports in a regulated manner.

The seamless movement of export trucks into port has been managed for a long time until about a month ago when this ugly trend of bypassing the SOP started.

The Task Force constituted by the Nigerian Ports Authority to manage the movement of this category of cargoes has been overwhelmed by the situation.

The Task Force it was gathered has begun to turn these illegal trucks back to wherever they are coming from, however, these trucks still find their way to the established export lane on Wharf port access road.

This is because the compromised government officials Eleganza round about, keep allowing them to come back to export cargo lane and eventually gets access into Apapa port.

Reacting to the development, the Apapa Port Manager, Mr. Debo Lawal denied the fact trucks that enter the port must have been manifested, adding that no truck get access without a manifest.

The reality is that a lot of trucks access the Apapa port without manifest due to the trending irregularities.

Reacting to the development, Mr. Adeshina Ajibola, Head Research and Technical department of the Association of Maritime Transport tOwners, AMATO,, said that the Federal Government is doing everything possible to grow the nation’s export trade and it is doing everything to encourage exporters.

Adeshina however said the whole essence of the encouraging export trade will be rubbished if the trucking system to access and exit the ports are not automated .

He said: ” Once there is any loophole for abuse, trust Nigerians, they will take advantage of it to the point that racketeering will now come in and this is why AMATO has been pushing for full automation of truck movements in and out of the ports.
“When you leave the process open to abuse, what is currently being experienced for import cargoes will also be seen in the export.”