MWUN Seeks Adherence To Global Best Practice At Nigeria Ports
Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, has called for the need to adhere to the global best practices in the nations sea ports in order to witness and experience seamless operations.
MWUN President General, Adewale Adeyanju made this known on Thursday, at the Maritime Journalists of Nigeria, MAJAN, roundtable, while appraising the “Executive Order on Ease Of Doing Business”.
Adeyanju who was represented at the event by MWUN Deputy Secretary General, Comrade Oniha Erazua, said though little progress has been made, but noted that maritime regulating agencies have not mustered the political will to address many issues slowing and delaying business activities at the ports.
MWUN boss said the advent of COVID-19 has changed the world order which has led to dwindling finances, skyrocketed loan charges, reduced purchasing power of consumers, increased unemployment and has compelled businesses to embrace technology and adjust to a new order of doing business.
According to him the need to improve technology and other forms of infrastructure are more than ever before needed if Nigeria must improve efficiency at the ports.
“There has been improvement on roads to the Apapa Ports, even though some part are yet to be attended to, but the level of extortion is still very high and the regulatory and agencies of government in the sector have not done much to stop the extortion. In some quarters it is even alleged that staff of the government agencies collude with tout and security men to perpetrate this corrupt activities.
Speaking on the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA’s Electronic Truck Call-Up System, Adeyanju said the project has never achieved its objectives.
According to him having operated the electronic call-up system for about a year, and having received stakeholders concerns, it is expected that the NPA would look at the project a second time and improve on it, especially by plugging loopholes for extortion.
Adeyanju who was represented at the event by MWUN Deputy Secretary General, Comrade Oniha Erazua, said though little progress has been made, but noted that maritime regulating agencies have not mustered the political will to address many issues slowing and delaying business activities at the ports.
MWUN boss said the advent of COVID-19 has changed the world order which has led to dwindling finances, skyrocketed loan charges, reduced purchasing power of consumers, increased unemployment and has compelled businesses to embrace technology and adjust to a new order of doing business.
According to him the need to improve technology and other forms of infrastructure are more than ever before needed if Nigeria must improve efficiency at the ports.
“There has been improvement on roads to the Apapa Ports, even though some part are yet to be attended to, but the level of extortion is still very high and the regulatory and agencies of government in the sector have not done much to stop the extortion. In some quarters it is even alleged that staff of the government agencies collude with tout and security men to perpetrate this corrupt activities.
Speaking on the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA’s Electronic Truck Call-Up System, Adeyanju said the project has never achieved its objectives.
According to him having operated the electronic call-up system for about a year, and having received stakeholders concerns, it is expected that the NPA would look at the project a second time and improve on it, especially by plugging loopholes for extortion.
Adeyanju in his paper presentation proferred lasting solutions to the challenges of Ease of doing business.
Some of the solutions are that federal must ensure that regulations are used to achieve the goal of freedom to do business , protect individual investments.
Secondly Government must reduce the cumbersome way of doing business in our ports and find a way to soften their policies in order to make business attractive to investors and foreigners .
Government has been urged to reduce the agencies at the ports , remove the bottlenecks on the ports access roads and cargo clearance .
Government must build infrastructure and ensure free flow of traffic on the roads and highways and that Government should consider business reform aimed at boosting Economic development.
Some of the solutions are that federal must ensure that regulations are used to achieve the goal of freedom to do business , protect individual investments.
Secondly Government must reduce the cumbersome way of doing business in our ports and find a way to soften their policies in order to make business attractive to investors and foreigners .
Government has been urged to reduce the agencies at the ports , remove the bottlenecks on the ports access roads and cargo clearance .
Government must build infrastructure and ensure free flow of traffic on the roads and highways and that Government should consider business reform aimed at boosting Economic development.
