Reasons have emerged why the Port Harcourt International Airport is yet to record any export. The reasons emerged at the one day export workshop for logistics operators and relevant stakeholders at the Port Harcourt International Airport for facilitation on non-oil export.
Both the airport terminal manager, Dennis Akogwu and the Customs commander, Ibrahim Mohammed, said they have not set their eyes on any product for export at the PH International Airport Terminal.
One of the reasons may be due to higher fees chargeable in PH for exports.
The Customs commander who said he was happy to have such workshop said the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is now in place, and they expect a lot of exports. “Export should interest us more because that is where the power is.”
He said there are no fees charged for export at the port, but maintained other agencies may need fees for processing, but not the Customs.
Okogwu, the terminal manager, who mentioned the available facilities for non-oil export at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, said the facilities were one of the best.
He mentioned efforts being made to attract export goods as maintaining services and facilities for safe, orderly expeditious and economic operations of air transport; providing adequate conditions for carriage of goods out of the country; providing accommodation and other facilities for the effective handling of passengers and freight.
He went on: “PH International Airport has a new cargo terminal which when fully operational will help to facilitate and enhance export of dry and wet cargo. To this effect, civil servants and business men/entrepreneurs are encouraged to start up projects in farm produce such as vegetables, fish, etc. in large quantities for export. FAAN is ready to guarantee smooth passage of goods out of Nigeria to Africa, Asia Europe, USA, etc.
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“Lagos is fully automated while the automation process is ongoing for other cargo airports in Nigeria. We are exploring the possibility of a one-stop shop in the cargo terminal in PH pending the take off of the national single window. PH is ready for non-export business. Look into vegetables and sea foods.’
On why fees are higher in PH, it was learnt that the PH International Airport is not yet certified.
The exporters who attended the training admitted that the NEPC has done much and that the ball is now in their court.
They reeled out the obstacles against exporting such as documentation processes. One said documentation strangulates export efforts.
Others said at One Port, there are many agencies to face there. They called for what they termed ‘farm-to-plane export system’.
It was revealed that cargo planes run empty back from PH. They go to Nairobi where they pick large quantities of floor to Europe.
A technical source said; “We only send out oil/gas tools but non-oil goods are zero from Port Harcourt. Even if we talk from now to next 10 years, there will not be non-oil export from PH. Certification is the key problem. If we get the processing and certification right, non-oil products will start moving out.
The zonal coordinator of NEPC, Joe Itah, said the workshop was one of the measures being made to boost export activities in the South-South and make exporters embrace the PH International Airport.
Some SMEs blamed harsh certification processes and high fees for inability to begin to export. Victoria Ozurumba,
An exporter, Victoria Ozurumba of Avikar Global Resources Limited who exports all forms of African food said certification from the National Agency for Food & Drug Administration (NAFDAC) is a big issue.
Some said they are required to cough out almost N2m for registration of their products. They appealed to the agency to give them temporary certificate and allow them do business and pay gradually and eventually collect the final certificate.”
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