– As Customs honours NPA
By Innocent Orok
The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr Mohammed Bello- Koko has assured the Nigeria Customs Service ( NPA) of its collaboration in achieving the Port Community System ( PCS) which the Authority is championing under the technical guidiance of the International Maritime Organisation ( IMO).
The NPA boss said this in his goodwill message at the 2024 International Customs Day celebrations held in Lagos on Friday. The theme of the International Customs Day 2024 was “Engaging Traditional & New Partners with Purpose” is one that delights all of us at the Nigerian Ports Authority as traditional partners of the Nigerian Customs”, Bello said.
“We are already recording gains from our renewed collaboration with the Nigerian Customs, which has led to noticeable reduced cargo dwell time and ship waiting time which has already decongestion of the Ports.
“This collaboration also gives fillip to our commitment to the deployment of the Port Community System (PCS) which the NPA has propelled to the final phase of consultancy under the technical guidance of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
“The PCS is germane to promoting efficiency and making our ports competitive as it lays the groudwork for the National Single Window.
“Our commitment to positioning the Lekki Deep Seaport as tran -shippment hub to service the maritime needs of our landlocked neighbors will also benefit greatly from this collaboration
“This alignment of vision between NPA and Nigerian Customs portends great fortune for trade facilitation and national prosperity.
Maximizing the opportunities inherent in our littoral assets as a maritime nation rests heavily on this collaboration.
“I therefore wish to commend and appreciate the CG and his team for this new direction and assure everyone of our unwavering commitment at NPA to this noble objective”, the NPA, MD assured.
