FG inaugurates joint task team to clear overtime cargos at seaports

The Federal Government, yesterday, inaugurated the joint task team comprising the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Ministry of Transportation and others to tackle the lingering crisis around overtime cargoes at the country’s seaports and terminals.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMT) and Chairperson of the Committee, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, while inaugurating members of the task team in Abuja, stressed the need to clear overtime cargoes at ports and terminals, saying their presence has limited the number of cargoes that can be handled.

She lamented the large number of the overtime cargos has resulted in a drastic drop in the volume of cargoes coming into the country, adding that the reduction in cargoes has ultimately affected Internally generated revenue (IGR).

The Permanent Secretary explained that clearing of overtime cargoes should not be confined to the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, Lagos Port Complex, and TinCan Island Port Complex but extended to all other ports and Terminals within the country.

Ajani stated that the task team was constituted after several meetings among the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, and the Comptroller General of NCS, Hameed Ali; the Permanent Secretary and others.