To boost Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) plans to designate
the Ikorodu Cargo Terminal as a dedicated export gateway.
the Ikorodu Cargo Terminal as a dedicated export gateway.
The National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Adewale Adeniyi, dropped the hint while discussing the topic “Maritime Domain Awareness: Role of the Media”, at the 2016 Africa Maritime Journalists Conference (AMJOC), held recently in Accra – Ghana.
As part of measures to meet its N1 trillion (about US$5billion) revenue target this year, the NCS spokesperson disclosed that the Service will support excise companies and assist local manufacturers improve their export volumes, to enable them bring in the needed foreign exchange into the country.
According to him, “anyone familiar with the traffic situation in Lagos will appreciate what we’re trying to do at Ikorodu.
“We’re trying to see the possibility of moving the entire export operations from the mainstream
seaports to a location in Ikorodu, so that trucks carrying goods for export no longer have to struggle with those taking delivery or returning containers at the major Lagos ports”, he explained.
seaports to a location in Ikorodu, so that trucks carrying goods for export no longer have to struggle with those taking delivery or returning containers at the major Lagos ports”, he explained.
The NCS he further said plans to recruit no less than one thousand two hundred (1,200) seafarers this year, to strengthen its fight against smuggling through the waterways and equally provide employment to the youths.
“The Nigeria Customs Service in collaboration with other security agencies is determined to effectively monitor and check criminal activities within Nigeria’s maritime space, to this end the Service have acquired sea-going platforms for our Marine Commands (Eastern and Western).
” In my estimate, we will need about 1,200 seafarers, who will be trained as customs officers, to man these platforms, while some of them will be needed for maintenance and repair services,” he added.
Adeniyi called for a paradigm shift in the continent’s approach to the rise in trans-border maritime crimes.
“Crime is transnational and our failure to share information and intelligence has made the fight against piracy, hijacking of ships, human trafficking, oil theft and other vices has been difficult to arrest in our waters, we must therefore set aside our parochial interests and see the threat to one as a threat to all,” he
said.
said.
While commending those behind the idea of the conference, Adeniyi urged government agencies and
corporate bodies to invest in capacity building for maritime journalists, “so that they can report the industry better.”
corporate bodies to invest in capacity building for maritime journalists, “so that they can report the industry better.”
