…….single interface station at each ports.
The Federal Government has directed all relevant ministries, departments and agencies operating at the nation’s airports and seaports to merge their operations into a single interface station.
Those operating at seaports are to merge operations within 60 days; the airport agencies have 30 days, while Apapa Port is to resume 24-hour operations within 30 days of the issuance of this order.”
This is one of the highlights of an ‘Executive Order on the Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment’ signed by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday.
The order read, “All relevant MDAs at the airports shall within 30 days of the issuance of this order merge their respective departure and arrival interfaces into a single customer interface, without prejudice to necessary back-end procedures.
“All agencies currently physically present in Nigerian ports shall within 60 days harmonize their operations into one single interface station domiciled in one location in the port and implemented by a single joint task force at all times, without prejudice to necessary backend procedures.
“The new single interface station at each port shall capture, track and record information on all goods arriving and departing from Nigeria, and remit captured information to the head of the MDA and the head of the National Bureau of Statistics on a weekly basis.
“Each port in Nigeria shall assign an existing export terminal to be dedicated to the exportation of agriculture produce within 30 days of the issuance of this order.
The order also outlawed touting and bribe-taking by official or unofficial persons at any port in Nigeria. Any official caught soliciting or receiving bribes from passengers or other port users, according to the order, shall be subject to immediate removal from post and disciplinary as well as criminal proceedings in line with extant laws and regulations.
