By Providence Ayanfeoluwa

Exporters under the umbrella of Association of West African Exporters and Maritime Professionals, AWAEMAP has raised alarm over delay in shipment of export trade caused by newly introduced Nigeria Exports Proceed, NXP policy by the Nigeria Port Authority, NPA.
The association describe the policy anti trade.

The NXP form is a mandatory statutory document which all exporters must complete for the shipment of goods outside the country, it is used to declare the details of the export commodity, including the type of goods, it quantity, value, destination and must be completed electronically.

Speaking at an emergency stakeholders meeting held at the Lily Pond Export Processing Terminal of the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos, National President of AWAEMAP, Mr. Olubunmi Olumekun, said since the implementation of the new policy, the numbers of export laden containers stranded at the terminal are on the increase due to their inability to access the port.

He lamented that rather than introducing policies that facilitate trade, the policy has led to a reduction of export trade in the country, even as he suggested that the government should return to the Single Window arrangement as an interim measure.

Olubunmi said: “The delay exporters are going through because of this process that was just introduced by NPA is not promoting trade, it is even letting the trade down and the process is now slow.

“International trade is all about tonnage or volume and that is what the NXP we are using as a declaration document entails. It involves the tonnage and then the size of the goods, the quantity of the goods you are exporting.

“Not by size or by the containers of what I am doing, tonnage or volume is what make your earning internationally not the containerised.”

An Exporter, who spoke on behalf of others, Alhaji Nafiu, said that the new policy which was supposed to streamline export processes has worsened the situation and created confusion and financial setbacks for exporters.

He blamed NPA for not paying attention to trade and commerce, saying: “We are urging NPA to take action to resolve the crisis, given that they are responsible for its implementation. We know that NPA alone can discuss the problem with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC)”.

On his part, Customs Area Controller, Lilypond Export Command, Comptroller Ajibola Odusanya, said NXP is a government policy which the Customs was never against.
He pleaded with NPA and other government agencies involved to quickly find an interim solution to the situation.

‘This emergency meeting is because of the NXP policy being operated by the Nigerian Port Authority through the TTP and the Export Processing Terminals for the movement of export cargoes into the port.

‘We customs are here because our motive is to make sure that our distinguished stakeholders are happy with whatever is being deployed that affects their goods.

‘It is when our stakeholders are happy that we are also happy’, he said.

Responding, NPA pointed out that the policy is a brain child of the federal government.
The agency promise to quickly find a lasting solution to the problem.