The Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Port Harcourt Seaport (1) has abandoned its business office at the Port Harcourt port.

Several visit by The Tide to the area show that the once busy office has now been abandoned and had most of the time been under lock and key, except for the efforts of  a lady clerk attached to the office who occasionally keeps the office open.

The Tide’s investigations have revealed that the clearing agents kept off from the office due to the dull business activities at the Port Harcourt wharf, which was aggravated by the non-operations of the container cargo, which is the hallmark of operations.

Reliable sources at the ANLCA office also disclosed to The Tide that the clearing agents now make their way to the Onne Port, also in Rivers State, where they expect letter prospects.

The source stated “What will they be doing at Port Harcourt office where there is no business from day to day, week to week. It is better they look for alternative, rather than waste their time here”.

Chief Obi Chima, the chairman of the association had recently told The Tide that business activities with respect to cargo clearing at Port Harcourt Port had been at a very slow pace, adding that the association was working in partnership with one of the port concessionaires; the Ports and Terminal Operators Limited (PTOL) to ensure that container cargo operations is restored to the port.

He further explained that ANLCA members together with the customs and PTOL had gone far to woo importers to the port, so as to restore the lost container cargo business.

However, every effort made so far had not yielded result in restoring the container cargo operation, which had left the port in dull business.

Corlins Walter