Starting on May 1, 2024, terminal operators will not be able to screen export containers at any of their gates due to a restriction by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
This is to enable smooth export cargo movement onboard ocean-going vessels, it stated.
Speaking at a Bellington Cargo Limited-hosted quarterly stakeholders meeting in Lagos on the various difficulties facing export cargoes, Mohammed Bello-Koko, the managing director of NPA, reaffirmed terminal operators’ obligations to avoid creating any kind of obstacle for cargo-laden trucks during exports.
Bello-Koko stated that the federal government now disapproved of any deterrents or obstacles to export, speaking on behalf of Charles Okaga, Port Manager, NPA Lagos Ports Complex (LPC).
The head of NPA reaffirmed that terminal operators are required to avoid any obstacles that can cause export cargo to be delayed.
In an effort to facilitate commerce and make it easier for businesses to conduct business at our seaports, the Export Processing Terminal (EPT) has become a fixture. Terminal operators must relocate their export screening gates to the port’s main gate so that, after their operations are finished, any export truck entering the port can proceed directly to the terminal without encountering any more obstacles or hindrances, the speaker continued.
Speaking about the Bellington facility, the head of NPA said that indigenous business concerns are making a valiant effort to support the development and economic progress of their nation.
He continued, “As you can see, the facility is a one-stop shop for export and is an endeavor to bring port operations closer to the hinterland and to the grassroots level.
In a previous speech, Bellington Cargo Limited’s managing director, Augustine Esiekpe, urged all tiers of government to examine their own practices and deal with the intimidation and threats that motor boys and truck drivers face from thugs.
Esiekpe bemoaned the numerous obstacles faced by export cargoes due to the unsavory conditions on the roadways.