The Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA) says inadequate infrastructure, insecurity and poor operational policy are militating against the ease of doing business in Nigerian ports.

Farinto Collins, the association’s acting president, said this at the stakeholders’ interactive session/awards night organised by the Business and Maritime Writers Association of Nigeria (BUMWAN) in collaboration with ANLCA.

Mr Collins said operators were faced with multiple taxations, insecurity, infrastructure decay and even extortion by some port officials, a practice he described as “business terrorism.”

According to him, the challenges are responsible for the business downturn presently being faced by shipping agents and vessel owners at the eastern ports.

Naved Zafar, the managing director of West African Container Terminal (WACT), said the challenges faced by operators were threatening the ports concession agreement.

ANLCA chairman Mike Ebeatu decried the poor state of the Eleme/Onne area of the East-West road and urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to take urgent steps to fix the road.

Peter Ihejirika, BUMWAN national president, said the essence of the event was to strengthen the maritime sector further while also commending ANLCA and other stakeholders for the synergy.

(NAN)