The Association of West African Exporters and Maritime Professionals (AWAEMAP), has called on the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to urgently address current delays being experienced in the processing of export shipments at the nation’s ports.
The group believes the newly introduced Nigeria Exports Proceed (NXP) policy is responsible for the trade barriers.
At an emergency stakeholders meeting at the instance of the Lily Pond Export Terminal Command of the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos during the week, AWAEMAP National President, Mr. Olubunmi Olumekun said that the situation has led to a reduction of export trade in the country by over 40 per cent.
He lamented that the challenge has resulted into a near halt to export trade, adding that the situation has negatively impacted their businesses as exporters and the allied logistics value chain counterparts now facing severe financial losses.
He urged NPA management ‘to escalate the problem to the originating Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies of government involved in the new policy to quickly work out a remedy’.
Stakeholders had revealed that the integration of the NXP into the Trade and Transport Portal (TTP) by NPA which was designed to streamline export processes has instead worsened the situation, thereby creating confusion and financial setbacks for exporters.
The stakeholders further complained about the policy demand, which attached NXP Number to containers as a major drawback causing the delays associated with the processes and procedures leading to the “number generation”.
Participants in the meeting further pointed out that their request for urgent intervention is not only for their own benefit but also in the interests of the nation as a whole, since perishable goods that suffered undue delays associated with the NXP Policy will double down the image of the country in the world market.
Responding, Customs Area Controller of the Lilypond Export Command, Comptroller Ajibola Odusanya said that the Nigeria Customs Service is always available to discuss with the NPA and others to find a solution around the challenge.
‘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.
Another representative of the stakeholders, Alhaji Nofiu pointed out that they are not asking the NPA to abandon the NXP, contrary to the argument advanced by the representative of the authority’s Assistant General Manager (Operations), Mrs. Oladimo since it was not the NPA that developed the policy.
He further said: ‘We are urging the 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)’.
Olubumi suggested that the Federal Government should revert to the Single Window arrangement as an interim measure, noting that it is obvious that neither the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Nigeria nor PEBEC has practical understanding of the working of the NXP system.
