…asks NAFDAC, SON to vacate seaports in 24hrs
Lagos – The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Tuesday disclosed that only eight Federal Government agencies are allowed to operate and have physical representation at all port locations in the country.
The General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications of NPA, Alhaji Abdullahi Goje, said in a statement in Lagos that the disclosure was based on the directive of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
In a bid to implement this directive the NPA is giving a 24-hour ultimatum to officials of unauthorised government agencies to vacate the seaports or risk being arrested.
The affected agencies include National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), among others.
Goje said that PEBEC had directed the NPA to ensure strict compliance to the Oct. 26, 2011 presidential directive on agencies permitted to operate in the ports.
“Agencies allowed representation at the ports are: Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Police, Department of State Security (DSS).
“Other agencies are Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Port Health and the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA),’’ he said.
He stressed that the other agencies not mentioned on the list must remain outside the port premises.
“The Nigerian Customs Service, which is the lead agency for inspection of cargoes, has developed standard operating procedures to facilitate seamless operation,’’ Goje said.
The NPA spokesman said that the authority remained committed to the Ease of Doing Business policy of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the presidential initiative was to improve the conditions under which business was carried out at all ports across the country.
Goje solicited for the support of all agencies and stakeholders in the Nigerian Maritime Sector towards making Nigeria, a destination of choice for all legitimate businesses.
