Stakeholders Speak on Ease of Doing Business at Seaports, Hail Nigerian Ports Authority MD Bello KokoStakeholders in the maritime sector and licensed customs agents have commended the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko for the massive improvement in the ease of doing business at Nigeria's seaports. PAY ATTENTION: Donate to Legit Charity on Patreon. Your support matters! Some critical stakeholders who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed satisfaction at the improvement in traffic on the port access road virtually rendered activity at the Lagos ports comatose before Bello-Koko’s reforms. Visits to Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar also showed massive improvement in infrastructure and orderliness as against what was obtainable at the ports a few years ago. They, therefore, applauded the NPA for increased ease of doing business, trade facilitation and the creation of several thousand jobs through effective barge operation This is because the NPA has increased remittances to the Consolidated Revenue Account (CRA) of the federal government from N80 billion to N91 billion in the past year. Read also BREAKING: NLC directs members to cripple activities at CBN offices nationwide, gives reason PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! The increase in remittance is coming amidst low Importation into the country and dwindling revenue generation by some agencies of government. The increment it was learned, was made possible because of Bello-Koko’s private sector background, which he employed to get port managers to deliver on the federal government’s mandate of increased revenue due to the lure in the oil and gas sector. Bello-Koko was appointed acting Managing Director of the NPA on May 6, 2021, and was confirmed substantive on February 21, 2022. Moreover, the NPA revenue has risen from N317 billion in 2020 to N361 billion in 2022, thereby, supporting the federal government in meeting its obligation to Nigerians. Read also FG removes excise duty for telecoms services as Pantami gives details Read also NCC unveils consumer TELCARE centre at Abuja Airport, gives reasons THISDAY investigation revealed that the enforcement of the Minimum Safety Standards on trucks accessing the ports by the current management of the NPA has led to a 65 per cent reduction in the number of accidents recorded at the port corridor. The NPA has also engaged the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in the development of the Port Community System for the automation and digitalization of the port processes. An official of the NPA said: Read also Tax managers should Rise to the challenges of global tech growth, FIRS boss says Oil thieves across the country are said to exhibit some level of smartness in carrying out their criminal activities. These thieves, the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko said turn off the automatic identification system of the vessels before engaging in their stock in trade. According to Bello-Koko, the Federal Government will go ahead and deploy the vessel traffic service (VTS) to monitor the activities around oil pipelines. Read also Presidential Council Rejects N1,000 NIN verification fee for passport application Nigerians across the country and the world have been assured of effective and efficient strategies to improve logistics in the maritime sector. The assurance was handed to Nigerians by the managing director of the Nigerians Ports Authority Mohammed Bello Koko. Koko confirmed that the NPA would put measures in place, including private-sector partnerships to improve delivery on the maritime logistics value chain. Source: Legit.ng PAY ATTENTION: Donate to Legit Charity on Patreon. Your support matters! PAY ATTENTION "The NPA has supported the national economy through unprecedented revenue generation and remittances to CRF of the federation with revenues steadily growing from N317 billion in 2020 to N361billion in 2022 and remittances progressively soaring from 80 Billion in 2020 to 91Billion by financial year end 2022. "The NPA created new businesses and attendant job opportunities such as the barge operations services which apart from reducing pressure on the roads has grown into a N2 billion annual generation business both from direct investment and accompanying externalities. Licensing of additional truck parks to increase the capacity of truck parks servicing the Lagos Ports, “said an official of the NPA As part of his measure to improve ease of doing business at the ports, the Bello-Koko recently approved the licensing of 10 Export Processing Terminals (EPT) to facilitate seamless export cargo out of the nation's seaports. "Licensing of 10 Export Processing Terminals to facilitate exports at Nigerian Sea Ports is to provide a one-stop shop for export where quality control, cargo assessment by all government agencies and issuance of good-to-ship clearance will be obtained. "This has led to a significant reduction in truck turn-around time due to successful implementation of the E-Call Up System," an importer, Akinwale James told journalists. "Enforcement of Minimum Safety Standards on trucks which stipulates that all trucks accessing the Ports are inspected, certified and issued stickers to assure safety. 65% reduction in a number of accidents recorded, arising from improved standards of trucks operating within the Port premises, “said a clearing agent, Chukwuka Ayam. "The current management has engaged with the IMO on the development of the Port Community System pursuant to the IMO instrument on automation and digitalization of port processes. "Also, award of consultancy for the deployment of Vessel Traffic Service (VTS); a maritime safety measure that equips us with Domain Awareness Capability to enable us to guide and provide safety information to vessels within our channels and ports approaches in line with the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) conventions."