Jetties operating illegally as container terminals – Importers
The Nigerian Importers Integrity Association (NIIA) yesterday raised the alarm over what they described as illegal activities around unregulated private jetties in Lagos. The president of the association, Godwin Onyekazi, who made the disclosure, said some private jetties operating on the Kirikiri channel and oil service facilities now engage in handling containers. The group called […]
The Nigerian Importers Integrity Association (NIIA) yesterday raised the alarm over what they described as illegal activities around unregulated private jetties in Lagos.
The president of the association, Godwin Onyekazi, who made the disclosure, said some private jetties operating on the Kirikiri channel and oil service facilities now engage in handling containers.
The group called on the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other relevant agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to halt activities of unregulated private jetties and oil service centres that have converted their facilities to container terminals.
He said, “Hundreds of empty containers are loaded from unlicensed jetties on the Kirikiri channel onto big barges which then discharge these containers in neighbouring countries.
“It is not clear who licensed these barge operators and the jetties, if these barges and jetties are registered with all relevant authorities and finally if they are paying the statutory dues to NPA and all other governmental agencies.”
He said only port operators, concessioned by the federal government through NPA, can engage in container handling operations. Loading of empties from any other facility is illegal and should be investigated.
“This trend is dangerous, as it poses serious economic and security implications for Nigeria. Who licensed the jetties as container terminals? Who is monitoring their activities? Nigeria is so volatile now that we cannot afford this sort of lapses in our port operation,” Onyekazi noted.