By Barnabas Esiet.
Dr. Oluwasegun Alade Musa, a seasoned maritime expert, transport planner and security consultant, has identified inconsistency in government policy and lack of automation in customs processes as major contributors to the persistent congestion and delays at Nigerian ports.
In an interview with Newsshelve in Lagos, Dr. Musa, who is also the Group MD of Widescope Group of Companies and CEO of Global Transport Policy, emphasized the need for capacity building and adherence to international best practices in the maritime sector.
He noted that the Nigerian government’s inconsistency in policy has hindered the growth of indigenous capacity in the sector, allowing foreign multinationals to dominate the market.
Dr. Musa also expressed concerns about the introduction of Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN), which he described as a duplication of functions and costs. He advocated for the automation of customs processes, stating that physical interfaces with customs officials are the primary cause of bottlenecks, delays, and corrupt practices.
To facilitate trade and reduce congestion at the ports, Dr. Musa recommended a fully automated system, where shipments are scanned upon arrival, and customs clearance is done electronically. He emphasized that this process should take no more than two days.
In his words, “We’ve experimented with preshipment inspection, some complained that this is waste of money , rather it should be destination inspection then we commenced destination inspection yet people are saying to government let’s introduce cargo tracking notes, that’ll tell us what’s inside the shipment when it arrives.
“That’s intellectual fraud. Cargo tracking notes is same as preshipment inspection, the notes will state the outcome of examining the cargos before they’re shipped to Nigeria. This amounts to duplication of functions and costs.
“Whoever is promoting this process is committing intellectual fraud. They’re taking advantage of the low knowledge available in our domain and they want to make it appear as though they are introducing something unique, but it’s nothing special.
“To me, the easiest way to go is to actually continue with our destination inspection. The Customs and clearance processes must be automated. Automation in the sense that when the shipment arrives at the ports it goes through the scanners. There’s no need to see anybody physically.”
Dr. Musa’s comments come as Nigeria continues to grapple with the challenges of efficient port operations, despite various initiatives aimed at addressing these issues.
In a related development, Dr. Musa expressed concerns about the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) on Nigeria’s economy, stating that the country lacks the capacity to participate effectively in the continental trade hub.
He emphasized the need for Nigeria to develop its local capacity and commodities to benefit from the AfCFTA.
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