Hadiza Bala Usman, managing director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), says export cargoes have been suspended from gaining access into the Lagos ports for two weeks.
The NPA boss told Radio Now 95.3 FM in an interview that the suspension is effective Monday, March 22.
Usman explained that the move is aimed at preventing parking
on port access roads as part of efforts to end the Apapa gridlock problem.
“All export cargoes for two weeks will not be allowed access into the port,” she said.
“We have a backlog of over 600 trucks that have approached
the port coming out of their truck parks and are currently in that location
within the port corridors, within the Lilypond. So we are suspending all export
cargoes.”
The suspension, however, does not affect refrigerated export
cargo and trucks whose operators received call-up tickets as of Friday, March
19.
The suspension, she said, is necessary to allow time for
consultations with export cargo stakeholders and the Nigerian Export Promotion
Council (NEPC) on harmonising the procedures required for export.
Usman explained that the NPA has noticed that a lot of
exporters approach the ports without completing their documentation thus
contributing to the gridlock.
“This has been a challenge for us, the documentation, in
terms of readiness of the terminal operators to receive them, some of the
certifications they require from supervisory agencies based on the type of
exports that they carry,” she said.
“They also have several custom certifications and CBN
documents that they need to complete.
“Recognising that as a problem, we have invited the export
promotion council to join us this week to meet with the large exporters to make
them understand the procedures as it relates to documentation.
“If any of your documents are not ready, you must remain
within your location. Actually, you shouldn’t even start your journey to the
ports.”
The authority recently launched an electronic call-up system
to regulate the movement of trucks in and out of the Apapa and Tin Can Island
Ports in Lagos.
With the call-up system, trucks are required to remain in
designated truck parks and wait to be called upon before approaching the ports.
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