The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, weekend directed the immediate implementation of the single interface examination point for cargoes at all ports across the country. This is in conformity with Executive Order (EO) 22.
This stemmed from a meeting of the Implementation Committee on the EOs recently issued by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to grow ease of doing business at the ports.
According to the directive, with the take-off of this policy, “all agencies of government that are required to operate and domicile in the ports, would embark on their activities in the designated locations only. There will be no other form of examination outside of that single interface”.
“Every agency will develop their backend office operations to streamline what they require to support any historical structure they may have, but no agency should operate outside that interface at any of our port terminals.
“All agencies of government that are not domiciled in the ports but are required to provide services should liaise with the lead agency on the modalities to perform their operations when they are required.
“For record purposes, only Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Customs and Excise, Nigerian Immigration Service, Department of State Services (DSS), Port Health, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Police, which were part of the presidential approval in 2011 are permitted to domicile within the ports. All other agencies must come in only when they are required.
Usaman however, expressed gratitude of the NPA to all government agencies and stakeholders who have collaborated with the Authority to ensure the implementation of Executive Order 22 ahead of deadline.
She further assured that the doors of the Authority are open to receive suggestions or complaints about challenges that are encountered in the implementation of this policy and asks for the continued support of all stakeholders toward repositioning Port operations in Nigeria.
