08 June 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — FOLLOWING the Presidential Executive orders on 24 hours port operations, some of the government agencies barred from the ports have commenced high-level lobby to return.
The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, had barred the National Law Drug Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), the Standard Organization of Nigeria, (SON) Plant Quarantine, and the Agency for Food, Drug Administration, and Control, (NAFDAC) following the implementation of the Executive order.
A ranking official of the NPA and member of the Port Security Facility, PFSO, Forum disclosed that an official of the Plant Quarantine has asked for a meeting with the Managing Director of the Ports Authority to explain the need to have their presence at the port.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday, the Managing Director of the NPA, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman said that only agencies stated in the report of the Joint Investigation Board, (JIB) will be allowed in the port.
She added that the agencies listed in the report as barred, should not be seen at the port.
The NPA Boss emphasised that the Authority has totally keyed into the Executive Order aimed at operational efficiency, through the ease of doing business in all the Ports across the country, because she has a strong faith that it is what the industry needs to deliver on its core mandate.
For the avoidance of ambiguity, Hadiza highlighted that the Agencies presently streamlined to operate at the Ports were the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Ports Health.
The Executive Order according to her, would ensure that unauthorized personnel in the Ports are denied access, thereby reducing human traffic, as part of other stringent measures being put in place to reduce corrupt practices that could hamper greater efficiency and operation across the Ports.
She assured that the Authority would also prioritize the exportation of Agricultural produce and Mineral Resources at the Ports by way of location, creating specially dedicated areas for this purpose.
