Spokesman, Seaports
Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, Mr Bolaji Akinola, says Nigeria is losing N24 billion yearly to delays in the clearance of ships at the Nigerian ports.
Akinola told newsmen in Lagos  recently that vessel checks were statutory, but the problem was time management.
According to him, ships that come into Nigeria stay for about three hours before they are allowed to discharge their contents.
“On the whole, the ships spend about five hours before leaving and this is costing Nigeria over N24 billion annually. “Shippers factored this amount into the cost of doing business in Nigeria because they know they will suffer time loss at Nigeria’s ports.
”For every day that a vessel stays in Nigeria, it accumulates a cost of about 30,000 dollars due to time delay, so the ship owners simply transfer that to freight charges.
“When you calculate that amount by the 5,000 vessels, it gives you the said amount of N24billion,” Akintola said.
He said that the situation could improve if cargoes were allowed to be discharged while the checks lasted.
According to him, the checks are done everywhere in the world, but time could be saved if it is well managed.
”Even if we are not automated and do not have the advanced technology that others are using, cargo discharge can begin while the check is going on,” Akinola said.
Akinola suggested that nobody should be allowed to go near a ship until the checks were completed.
He said there was nothing to fear since the cargoes would still be inside the ports and could be sanctioned if the importer compromised.