Former ANLCA Public Relations Officer, Seme Border, Emmanuel Okwoche, has identified policy inconsistency as the bane of the maritime and freight industry in the country. 
The customs broker noted that due to unstable policies in the sector, it has been very difficult to make predictions and long term planning for Nigeria’s economy. 
This uncertainty, he said, has discouraged investment in the country. 
Okwoche who disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The Tide in Lagos on Monday advised the Federal Government to maintain stable fiscal policies as contained in budget at the beginning of every year.
“Avoidable alterations and amendments should not be allowed mid year to enable stakeholders in the economy to make long term projections, predictions, planning and investment. This is what economic stability and consistency is all about”, he affirmed.
For formulation and implementation of policies that would stand the test of time, Okwoche proffered that the presidency should create a kind of a clearing ministry for policy inputs from all stakeholders.
He said that such a body which must traverse different disciplines and parastatals would collect and collate policy proposals advanced from several sources, digest and properly assimilate them with a view to producing a harmonised output and then present them to the government for legislation and implementation.
Okwoche suggested that the policy clearing ministry in the maritime sub-sector should be constituted by the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Ports Authority, officials of the ministries of Transport and Finance, as well as private port operators like the freight forwarders, among others. 
This way, he said, the maritime sub-sector of the economy would be rejuvenated and redirected for growth and development.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos