The Founder, National Association of Government Approved forwarders, (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has called for the integration of the nation’s ports and development of Multi-Modal Transport System where road and rail transportation would form a major source of transporting goods from the port of importers, warehouses.
Aniebonam, who made the call at a world press briefing held recently at NAGAFF Village, Apapa, Lagos said the Multi-Modal Transport system deserves urgent attention as it would help to decongest high cargo traffic being experienced in Lagos Ports.
The government, he said had through its recent policy statement, declared its commitment towards making the Nigerian Ports user friendly, besides attracting more patronage from importers within and outside the country.
While calling on the Terminal Operators to reposition itself for challenges as corruption is all over the system, he said that time has come when the terminal operators should re-double its efforts in order to complement the federal governments ports reformations programme.
Meanwhile, a large number of clearing agents in Lagos Ports have expressed dissatisfaction over high rates in clearing goods at the nation’s port.
A cross section of agents who spoke with The Tide in Lagos recently said the concessionaries has carpeted the Nigeria Shippers Council Regulation Act 1997 on Port Tariff and Rates, adding that the terminal Operators have increased terminal charges by over 30 per cent.
A source at Shippers’ Council confided to our correspondent that the council is to make a position paper on port reform and their limitations to regulatory functions, especially as it concerns abnormal illegitimate increment of charges by shipping companies and terminal operators to the supervising minister for finance, and economy coordinator, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, yesterday in Abuja.
Our finding last week at the Tincan Island Port, Apapa also revealed that clearing agents operating in the areas are worried over what they described as cumbersome clearing procedure by the management of the Nigeria Customs Services Tincan Port.
The Agents alleged that the cost of doing business in Tincanport is on the high side, adding that it takes more time, money to take delivery of consignment, compared to other ports within the Lagos axis.
The also alleges Customs of collecting up-official money from them outside the main duty payment, adding that refusal to part with some money may keep your documents for days by the resident Customs Officers.
According to them, the insurances of debit note is no longer news to agents operating in the area, as TinCan Customs always used debit note as a threat to squeeze huge amount of money running into some thousand Naira.
Meanwhile, a source at Tincan Customs Port disclosed that leadership of various clearing associations operating in the area have been meeting with the customs management for a way forward.
As at the time of filing this report, the Customs Public Relation Officer of the command, Mr. Chris Osunkwo, a Superintendent of Customs could not be reached on his phone.