Govt agencies flouting ease of doing business directive, says NPA

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is seeking the intervention of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo over non-compliance with the presidential order on the ease of doing business at ports.

Hadiza Usman, managing director of NPA, said some government agencies were flouting the directive.

The office of the vice-president oversees the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) which issued the presidential order.

The order streamlined the activities of all agencies in the nation’s ports to achieve a 24-hour cargo clearance target.

The NPA managing director said it was regrettable that some agencies had not fully complied with the Order.

Usman said the authority would continue to fulfil its own part of the order, adding that NPA could not compel other agencies to do what they were supposed to do.

“NPA is implementing its own part of the Order. We cannot compel other agencies to do what they are supposed to do,” she said in a statement.

She noted that aggrieved stakeholders should also report the defaulting agencies to the appropriate authorities.

Kayode Farinto, vice-president of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), urged Usman to intervene to ensure that officials of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine are prevented from entering the ports.

Farinto also made an appeal that NPA should ensure that the newly constructed temporary truck park at Tin Can Island Port is put to immediate use.