BREAKING:
NPA issues temporary suspension on receipt of exports cargoes at Lagos ports
By Eniola Idris
As part of efforts to improve access into the ports, the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) has issued a two-week suspension on all exports cargoes from coming into Lagos ports.
The Managing Director, NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, who announced this in an interview yesterday noted that the suspension does not affect export refrigerated cargo and trucks whose operators have secured call up tickets as at Friday March 19, 2021.
She said the exports cargoes are suspended from the Lagos Ports Complex and the Tin Can Island Port and all satellite truck parks, with effect from Monday, March 22, 2021.
This development, according to her is necessitated by the need for consultations with export cargo stakeholders, and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council(NEPC) on the harmonisation of procedures required of owners of this category of cargo.
Assistant General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications Division, Ibrahim Nasiru in another statement enjoined other segments of port users to continue carrying on their businesses by using the designated truck parks and booking for access into the ports on the Eto platform,”
The Authority thanked all stakeholders for their support towards the success of Eto since its introduction three weeks ago and seeks continued support in the determination to end truck congestion on access roads into the ports and improve service delivery.
Bala Usman said the NPA has noticed all manners of trying to circumvent the e-call up system, but it is resolved to concentrate on the scheme and achieve success.
She said: “One of the things that arouse in the last one week, you would have seen that a lot of trucks are built up in the last one week. We actually suspend trucks that have export cargo from accessing the port with effect from today (Monday), so all export cargoes will not be allowed access into the port for two weeks. We have a backlog of over 500 trucks that are approaching the port, coming out from truck parks and are currently within the port corridors, within Lillypond. So, we are suspending all export cargoes.
“We have noted that the challenge we have with export cargoes that resulted in this congestion is that a lot of export cargoes approaching ports without completing their documentation. This is a challenge for us. The documentation, in terms of readiness of the terminal operators to receive them, some of the certifications they required from supervisory agencies based on the type of export that they are carrying. They also have several Customs certifications and CBN documents that they need to complete. Recognizing that type of problem, we have invited the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to join us this week, meet with the exporters and make them understand the procedure as relates to documentation. If any of your documentation is not ready, you must remain within your location. You should not start your journey to the port.
“We have identified all the corridors for inflow and outflow into the port. We have also identified the trucks, which have perishable items for exports and then give the clarity access. We believe we should be able to clear the backlog of the 500 trucks within one week to 10 days so that we can have seamless inflow and outflow,” she stated.
