The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) have reiterated their resolve to work, collaborate and partner with a view to enhancing the revenue generation strategies of the Federal Government from the nation’s seaports.
One way of achieving this goal is the creation of a comfortable working environment that will be of mutual benefit to both the management and operations of the two organisations.
Both the Managing Director of NPA, Malam Habib Abdullahi and the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali (Rtd) have stressed the need for the two agencies to see themselves as “partners in progress”, working together for the good of the nation’s economy.
The NPA Managing Director who commended the Customs Comptroller General for considering it fit to visit the Corporate Headquarters of NPA recently, explained that as “Customs direct call ports”, the Authority would ensure that there is high level of operational efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery at the nation’s ports.
Malam Habib who reasoned that since the commencement of the present concession regime in 2006, activities have increased in the ports with the terminal operators, added that with the greater cooperation between the Authority and NCS, the performance of the nation’s ports in areas of turnaround time of vessels and cargo dwell time will be substantially reduced and lower to the barest minimum the cost of doing business in our Ports.
The Managing Director said there was the need for the two agencies to collaborate in ensuring proper security at the ports and especially the entrances, adding that “We think we should collaborate better in this area being the two of the foremost government agencies in the Port”.`
Malam Habib appealed to all officers and men of the NCS to support and ensure the success of the newly appointed Comptroller General of the Service, pointing out that the success of the new Comptroller General should be of paramount concern to them all.
Earlier, the Comptroller General, Col Ali (Rtd) had solicited the support and cooperation of the NPA to ensure the improved performance of the revenue yielding agency of the Federal Government , emphasising that the service need the support and cooperation of the Authority to enable them generate the necessary revenue for the national treasury as mandated by Mr President.
