Godwin Oritse
THE Federal Government has expressed concern over the high cost of clearing cargoes at the Nigerian seaports  a development that has forced importers to consigne Nigerian bound cargoes to meighbouring ports.

Speaking after a facility tour of the Ports in Lagos, Transport Minister Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman said that the Federal Government is very much concerned about the issue of high cost of goods clearance at the Ports.

He stated that a panel has been set up to take a hollistic  look at the  activities of the concessionaires and the the process of the reform exercise.

“The Ministry and indeed the Federal Government is actually concerned about the issues you have raised and it is because of that ,that we have said that we are raising a panel to audit the performance of the concessionaires and the concessioning process itself .

“I have set up a panel and they are working now and  I believe that they have been waiting for me to inaugurate the panel which I have not been able to, we were suppose to do it this week but most of my officers were here in Lagos .
“That is why we set up the panel to look at it holistically . I do not want to apportion blame even before we get  through to the concessioning audit .

“But I can tell you that one of the major reason for concessioning  is not just to  reduce cost but improve on efficiency, service delivery at the Nigerian Ports .“To make the Nigerian Ports friendly, competitive and operate within global best practices “ he stated

He noted that most the Nigerian bound cargoes \now find their way to neighbouring ports, adding that the reason for consigning these cargoes to other countries is what the government is trying to find out with a review to finding a lasting solution to the problem.

The Minister also blamed Nigerian importers on the problems at the ports saying that “most of the time they try to bring in materials that are on the prohibition list , under declare their import because they do not want to pay the correct duty”.

His words “We have also noted  with serious concern that most of the cargoes that are intended for Nigeria find  their way into neighbouring countries, some in Lome Togo.,Benin Republic and Accra in Ghana.

“There must be reason for that, now these are the reasons we are trying to unfold in order to address to the problem squarely.

“There are problems in both ways, some in terms of service delivery at the ports and in terms of port charges but also there is a character issue, in terms of the character of the Nigerian importer.

“60% of what you have in the bill of lading is usually not what is contained in the container, at the National Economic Group which I am member, we are reviewing the situation.