LAGOS – The National Coordinator of the 100% Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Ibrahim Tanko, has accused the Terminal operators of frustrating the efforts of the overtime and auction committee to decongest the ports.
Dr. Tanko, who made this allegation in a statement he signed on Friday October 11, 2024, and made available to journalists, lamented that most of the boxes are trapped in the ports because of demurrage.
He attributed the continuous congestion of the ports to the uncooperative attitude of the terminal operators, especially Tincan Island Terminal, Ports and Cargo, alleging that they have refused to grant the committee access to the containers.
According to him, the committee does not only comprise of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), but also, other government agencies in the ports.
“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 demurrages.
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“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 the 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 beneficiaries from taking possession of the containers even after paying 25% cost of the auction fee to terminals and shipping companies,” Tanko alleged.
Tanko who is also a Board of Trustee (BOT) member of NAGAFF, lamented and alleged that over 10,000 containers are trapped both at TICT and Ports & Cargo terminals alone, adding that they have obstinately refused to cooperate with the committee because they allegedly want to collect the demurrage at all costs.
The 100% Compliance Team boss further disclosed that the Team decided at a meeting that freight forwarders would withdraw their services at the ports if the Terminal operators continued to obstruct the efforts of decongestion committee.
“We are on the part of the government. If they refused to cooperate with the committee, we are going to withdraw our services. By then, the government will come in. Everybody will come in. We cannot take it Again.”
