Group accuses terminal operators of frustrating government’s effort at decongesting ports.
Group accuses terminal operators of frustrating government's effort at decongesting ports.
The National Coordinator of the Hundred Percent Compliance team arm of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko has accused terminal operators of frustrating efforts of Overtime and Auction Committee of clearing the ports of congestion.
He made this public in a statement made available to Monarchs News in Lagos on Friday.
He lamented that the terminal operators hold on to the trapped boxes because of the demurrage they intend to collect from the cargoes.
According to him, congestions in the ports are as a result of the uncooperative attitudes of the concessiionaires like Tincan Island Containers Terminal (TICT), Ports and Cargo Handling Services who had allegedly refused to grant access to the committee to containers
He stated that the committee members include Nigeria Customs Service and other government agencies.
His words, :”We have an issue with the Terminal Operators. Government is trying to decongest the ports by setting up a Committee of Overtime and Auction. Most of these boxes in the ports are being trapped because of demurrage.
“Our members came to us, they cried, we tried to write to them, they turned us down. Even when we write for a waiver, they turned it down. We have series of letters we have written to them.
“What is their own? Are they above the government? Who gave them their licenses to operate? Government said this is what we want. in fact, I was told , if they auctioned the container, they (terminal Operators) will refuse the beneficiary to take the container even after paying 25% duty, cost of auction fee to terminals and shipping companies,,” he stated
