NAN-HE-5
Palletisation
By Aisha Cole
Lagos, Feb. 1, 2018 (NAN) Mr Henry Ajoh, the General Manager, SIFAX Shipping Company Ltd., a subsidiary of SIFAX Group, has urged the Federal Government to reconsider its position on the implementation of the cargo palletisation policy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the “Cargo Palletisation” policy is an initiative of the Presidential committee on ease of doing business.
It is part of the new import and export policy of government which prescribed that all containerised cargoes coming into Nigeria must be palletised.
It is to assist officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and other relevant government agencies in providing easy and faster way of physically examining containers brought into the country.
in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday, Ajoh said that the government did not adequately engage the different stakeholders in both the maritime and aviation industries before coming up with the policy.
He said that, hence, the stiff opposition that the palletisation generated, adding that importers, agents and manufacturers, among others had condemned the policy.
“The implementation of the cargo palletisation policy will lead to an increase in the cost of shipment and importation charges.
“These extra charges will be passed to the end users who buy the imported goods.
“The manufacturers who also need to pay more for his imported raw materials as a result of the policy and will also pass this to the consumers.
“ Ultimately, this policy will lead to an increase in the prices of goods and you know the implication of this for an economy just exiting recession,“ he said.
Ajoh said that the palletisation policy would not adequately address the challenge of faster cargo clearing as all imported cargoes, whether palleterised or not, will still need to be physically examined by the customs.
He said that the only way out was to provide modern cargo scanners at the nation’s seaports.
The SIFAX general manager said that the issue of 100 per cent physical cargo examination was outdated and should be jettisoned by the government.
Ajoh suggested that government should take advantage of technology to drive the policy of ease of business in the maritime sector.
“I am appealing to the Federal Government to reconsider their stance on the issue and also engage more with various stakeholders in order to find a compromise“ he said.
He recalled that the Executive Vice Chairman, SIFAX Group, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, had advocated the concession of scanning services at the ports to private investors.
Afolabi had argued that scanners would help improve the efficient service delivery of the NCS and guard against importation of arms and other contraband goods.
He said that efficient scanners would generate more revenue for the government and keep the country safe. (NAN)
AIC/CHOM/TÁ
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Tajudeen Atitebi