Cumbersome system in ports hinders trade facilitation ― NCMDLCA president

President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), has stated that the cumbersome and archaic system in the ports has hindered trade facilitation.

Amiwero made the observation on an Instagram live programme organised by Mrs. Ezinne Azunna of the MaritimeTv as he spoke on the topic: Re-evaluating the Concept of Trade Facilitation in Nigeria’s Port Industry.

According to him, there is no trade facilitation in Nigerian ports. He claimed that activities of the ports negated three requirements for trade facilitation – transparency, predictability, and consistency.

“Trade facilitation is all about reducing your complexities in transactions, procedures, and practices,” he said.

“In evaluating the port system, harmonisation of laws and procedures, simplification of administration, standardisation, and transparency are needed, but at present, the port system is hindered by procedures.

“These procedures are not based on international processes, because what we have is lengthy, cumbersome, and archaic.”

Amiwero said that access roads to the ports, which should be trade facilitation tools, were characterised by gridlock. He added that it was difficult to predict cargo clearance period at the ports.

According to him, Nigeria controls 78 percent of cargo within the West African sub-region but does not have scanners. “We have to offload containers, and this makes the ports expensive due to time wastage.”

He urged the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to adopt the four pillars of trade facilitation on harmonisation, simplification, standardisation, and transparency and should comply with the global trade procedures including the adoption of the four pillars of trade facilitation.