The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, CGC, Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd), the Director General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Osita Aboloma and other heads of government agencies and private sector operators in the maritime industry will be participating in a Town Hall Meeting on 24-hour Port Operations in line with the Executive Order recently issued by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.

Areas of individual organization functions and collective responsibilities that will make the 24hour port regime successful in Apapa port are expected to be deliberated upon with a view to achieving a robust national economic goal.

The numerous economic potentials of Nigerian maritime industry have for long been acknowledged but effort at harnessing and utilizing the acclaimed embedded resources have been elusive owing to policy inconsistencies and lack of commitment at implementing and executing policies to the later.

Only recently, the Federal Government in response to maritime stakeholders’ advocacy push and prompting, gave Executive Order to the effect that 24-hour cargo operations commence at the Apapa Port Complex.

What needs to be done? What are the issues and challenges? What need to be put in place? Is the infrastructure on ground adequate for the implementation of the Executive Order on 24-hour port operations at the Apapa Port as a pilot?

The meeting being convened by Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) will come out with possible suggestions after encapsulating various views on the 24hour port operation regime from maritime stakeholders. The meeting holds at Rockview Hotel Apapa on Tuesday, June 20, 2017, at 10am.

Stakeholders in the sector and the general public have been invited to make presentations at the town hall meeting.

The Comptroller General of customs will deliver the key note address as well as speak on customs level of preparedness towards effective execution of the order. The Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC) and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will also make presentations. Other agencies fully prepared to participate actively at the Town Hall Meeting are:

National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), Nigeria Custom Service (NCS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Foods and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC).