Congestion is building up at the seaports as agents and importers are reluctant to take delivery of their consignments for fear of attack by protesters of #Endbadgovernance since last week Thurdsay.
Because of the protest, which started on August 1 nationwide, Lagos ports have been operating below capacity as activities are at low ebb.
It was learnt that about 3,000 containers were supposed to move out daily from the ports in Lagos, but apart from the online transaction and processing of documents by importers, there has been no activities in the port since then despite the assurances given by the Port Police Command, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that the ports were secured.
In addition, findings revealed that there had been skeletal services at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Inland Waterways (NIWA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) as their staff merely make brief appearances in their respective offices since the beginning of the protest due to uncertainty of what could happen to them.
Also, it was learnt that Customs commands of Apapa Port, Tin Can Island Port and Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) and Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT), which remain open during the ongoing protests, were largely idle as officers were waiting for importers and clearing agents, who refuse to show up.
A former President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Eugene Nweke, explained that even though the clearing agents and truck owners were not protesting economic hardship, cargo owners were taking adequate safety measures to safeguard clients’ investment, adding that freight logistics providers were classified essential service providers.
He noted: “Professional sense of safe guarding cargo entails avoiding not taking cargo delivery during strikes or protests in the country. Will you pay for imports that leave the port and end up being vandalised by hoodlums or strikers?”
Also, the Managing Director, Sceptre Consult, Jayeola Ogamode, explained that the protest had led to skeletal services in the ports because of hoodlums and the inability of the banks to open for payments of import duties.
Ogamode, however, said that port operations were ongoing, vessels were at berths and discharging cargoes, noting that other activities by terminal operators, Customs and other agencies were not interrupted.
He added: “No responsible agents would want take delivery of consignments at this critical period. Hoodlums are on the road waiting to take advantage of this protest to destroy or loot properties.
The agents will pay for the loss if anything should happen before the delivery of his client’s consignment.”
However, on the implication of the protest, the managing director noted that importers would be forced to pay between N11,419 and N17,129 per container daily as demurrage, saying that the only way it could be avoided is that if the terminal operators grant them storage waivers.
Recalled that the NCS, Apapa command, which had before the commencement of the strike action said that its officers would be on ground to attend to port users, has so far been operating below its capacity as few clearing agents were seen transacting their business online at the busiest command.
