‘Non Tariff Barriers Along Mile 2 Corridor Receiving Attention’ – TCIP Customs Boss

BY FUNMI ALUKO

The Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Port, Compt Dera Nnadi mni, has said that the Lagos State Government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is mapping out strategies to remove non state actor constituting impediments to ease of doing business and port trade in the state capital.

Nnadi who was fielding questions from journalists on the menace of the criminal human barriers and extortion by area boys along the Mile 2-Oshodi Expressway when he briefed the press on the seizures of drugs, arms and ammunition amongst other offensive imports last week, informed that solution is on the way.

This is even as he commended the Comptroller General of Customs, Wale Adeniyi MFR, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for taking the bull by the horn; and especially applauded Governor for the political will to do the needful by sanitizing the Mile 2, Tin Can Port access road.

Asked what the customs service and the federal government is doing to also put an end to the day light robbery and mindboggling extortion of port users and importers along the axis, Nnadi said Governor Sanwo-Olu in partnership with other relevant organs of government are already talking and marshaling out a workable plan, and assured that the end of the menace is in sight.

“This is a very pertinent question, non tariff barriers to trade by non state actors is a major challenge to any customs administration particularly in developing world. Some of the issues you just raised are factors making our ports not to be competitive, these are realities, cargo is cleared out of the port, you will see people wielding different instruments, holding cudgels, holding sticks, flagging down container trucks and extorting money.

“It is not only inimical to trade, it is also dangerous because in the attempt to stop these trucks, you see the drivers swerving their steering wheels and the trucks dangerously in the bid to escape. It poses danger to other road users and commuters along the corridor in question.

“We also see them stop used vehicles and even brand new vehicles cleared out of the port, that is part of what Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is currently addressing. He has done so much to clear part of the menace, but like you said, the problem has been there for many years”, he said.

An intellectual power house, Nnadi also explained that solution is however not a one day thing since government must take into consideration a whole lot of variables that will make it easy to rehabilitate those involved and phase out the challenge.

He said, “It will take time to address the psyche of the people involved, it will take time to rehabilitate them, it will take time to find alternative source of income for them. It will also take time to enforce adherence discipline along this corridor.

“One of the things the governor has done is to clear the corridor making it possible for intervention by security agencies to be effective. If a driver sends a distress call now, it is easier to respond and rush there for rescue. Part of what we are doing is also engaging the major stakeholders that use the road such as the maritime workers union, national union of road transport workers, association of maritime transport owners; we are collaborating with them to find a lasting solution.”

He also note that identifying the hidden masquerades’ in the Mile 2 extortion menace as crucial to any meaningful strategy to stamping it out, even as he salute the commitment of the NPA towards the eradication of the Lagos ports access road tragedy.

“Again l say kudos the Nigerian Ports Authority, they are at the forefront of this struggle. The next is to engage those that are identified as responsible for sending these boys to the road to extort because the boys must be answering to somebody.

“But that is been handled by NPA, the Nigerian Police and Governor Sanwo-Olu, for now, we need to celebrate the success recorded so far while look forward to   more successes that will be recorded.”

Earlier, he attributed the forceful evacuation of trucks that has taken over the entire stretch of the port access roads, from Cele Bus Stop along Oshodi Expressway to Tin Can to the Lagos state governor, who in collaboration with others put his feet down and ensure the access road was significantly rid of the trucks.

Speaking on the development, Nnadi said “The greatest glory goes to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who gave the political will to ensure the exercise succeeded.

“We had meetings with NPA, exporters, importers, shipping lines and freight forwarders. We thank the media for highlighting the challenges we faced on the port access road. The good thing now is that the road had been cleared and the heaps of refuse removed for us to have sanity around the port corridor.

“Since 2017, that corridor was not in use because of the menace of truck drivers leaving their vehicles on the major road. We thank Lagos government, the Customs CG and other security agencies that helped in this exercise”, adding:

“Opening this corridor will increase cargo throughput, in order to enhance trade facilitation and more revenue collection for government.”