LAGOS – A group of customs agents on Wednesday complained about delays experienced in cargo delivery at the APM Terminals in Apapa, Lagos.
The agents, after a joint meeting in Lagos, told newsmen that they were not comfortable with the operations of the terminal operator in terms of cargo handling and delivery.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF).
Others at the meeting were the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).
Mr Olumide Fakanlu, the spokesman of the associations and Chairman of ANLCA, Apapa Chapter, said 200 containers being positioned daily for examination by the company were too low.
He said that if the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had not introduced the Fast Track Scheme, the situation would have worsened.
Fakanlu urged the management of the terminal to improve on its services in positioning more than 200 containers in order to bring down the storage charges levied by the terminal operator.
“We have been on strike at the APM terminals in Apapa port since Nov. 3, and we have also withdrawn our services since that time but the management of the terminal remains adamant.
“We have handed over our grievances to our national bodies to take the case up with the management of the terminal, to dialogue with them for positive outcome, “ Fakanlu said.
The customs agent urged the Federal and State Governments, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to assist customs agents in the smooth operations at the ports.
In his response, Mr Bolaji Akinola, the spokesman of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), of which APM Terminals is a member, debunked the agents’ allegations.
He said the allegations were “baseless and unfounded”.
“We have a situation where people are resistant to change and want to maintain their old ways of doing things in this era of automation.
“We will not be arm-twisted by any group and we stand by our members in this.
“Terminal operators in Nigeria have invested massively to build capacity, modernise and upgrade our ports and we will not allow anyone to undermine our efforts, ‘’ he said.
According to Akinola, APM Terminals is one of the largest terminals in West Africa and employs over 1,000 Nigerians and deploys global best practices in its operations.
He said the problem at the port borders on the lack of honesty on the part of clearing agents which had necessitated a high level of physical examination at the port.
Akinola said terminal operators would not grant the agents waivers on accumulated charges incurred due to the ongoing strike at the terminal. (NAN)
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