There were strong indications that the Federal Government is determined to bring about the implementation of the one-stop shop cargo clearing regime, despite the present series of challenges and frustrations against it.Minister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman who disclosed this in Abuja, also said the government was no longer comfortable with the increasing interference of various government agencies at the ports, as the development was already posing a major bottleneck to ports operations.Stressing the need for a Single Window Electronic Trade Facilitation (SWETF), the Minister opined that the initiative was most probably the most viable to resolve the cumbersome problems associated with the nations clearing procedures and the delays experienced during clearing procedures.This system eliminates human contact and the use of discretion, which have been identified as major causes of delay in the clearance procedure highlighted Suleiman, pointing out that the electronic system would not only facilitate trade but also boost revenue generation and a higher turnover.Responding to a question, Suleiman stated that while he was happy to note that cargo handling deliveries had actually been improved on since December last year, he was, however, certain that the SWETF regime would be a lot better than the present arrangement, particularly as it also incorporated a system for truck control which would ease movement of cargoes out of the ports.It will be recalled that some stakeholders which include the Nigeria Customs Service and the freight forwarders have begun to express doubts over the possible success of the one-shop cargo examination plans, as many believe that certain agencies of government involved in cargo examinations are deliberately absenting themselves, perhaps, to abet extortion of importers.The Customs Area Controller, Suleiman Idris, during the quarterly stakeholders meeting which held at the Apapa Customs command, frankly stated that with the way things were unfolding, even the Customs Service was fast losing confidence in the practicability of the one-stop-shop cargo clearing regime, blaming the development on what he called stakeholders insincerity and unpatriotism.This is a challenge we must ensure we all tackle together, stated Suleiman, while speaking at the forum initiated by the Nigerian Customs Service for constant interaction with bonafide stakeholders of the maritime industry to maintain a smooth two-way communications between all parties operating in the maritime industry.He lamented that all officers, who should be at their duty posts always, especially during examination of cargoes, seldom do so.Echoing similar view, the founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, also lamented that the governments dreams of a stop-cargo examination shop might indeed remain a mirage, as long as the agencies assigned to the ports for the task adopt evasive measures to frustrate it.
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