Freight forwarders want FG to streamline exports’ procedures

Some freight forwarders on Friday urged the Federal Government to streamline the procedures for exportation for their businesses to thrive.

The exporters, mainly timber merchants, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that they usually experienced tough times before they could export their wares.

One of them, Mr Barth Okoli, said that he took to exportation because it had become difficult for him to fend for his family following Federal Government’s ban placed on the importation of some goods.

He said that with the enforcement of that order, it had become difficult for him to get clearing jobs to feed his family.

“It is tedious to arrange logs from the hinterland to the port only to have them impounded by operatives over unfounded allegation.

“Most of us who are coming into the export business for the first time are still oblivious of the regulations,’’ he said.

He, therefore, appealed to the regulatory agency to make vital information concerning the business available to the operators so that they would not be accused of violating the law.

Also, Mr Kenneth Abbebe and Mallam Umar Hassan said that the regulatory authorities should assist the operators with vital requirements to forestall disorder.

Abbebe said the earlier the government smoothen the procedures the better for the economy; saying it was through the export sector that the government could turn the country’s earnings around.

According to Umar, many of the timber shippers, unknowingly, transport their goods to the ports for exportation only to find out that they do not sail out.