By Uzor Odigbo
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has condemned the manual call up system of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for not living up to its billing.
The foremost Customs Brokers group also alleged that security personnel of the Authority connive with other security operatives assigned to take charge of traffic on the port access roads to extort truck drivers before entering the ports.
The group further called on the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman to withdraw security personnel from the roads leading to the ports because they cause more problems to the truckers.
The Chairman, Tin Can 2 Chapter of the association, Olufemi Olabanji told newsmen on Monday in Lagos, that NPA had all it takes to address the gridlock and congestion on the roads linking the ports but alleged that officials of agency had contributed to the delay in returning empty containers to the port.
Olabanji who also doubles as the chief executive officer of Femat Nigeria limited, maintained that the call up system had failed to yield any result toward resolving traffic along the corridors.
Citing instances, Olabanji alleged that “Officials of NPA can be seen in areas like Area B Police station, Ijora brigde ,Liverpool, Wharf road and Creek road with other agencies collecting N40,000 from truck owners and freight forwarders on container laden trucks.
The ANLCA chairman further cleared the air on the looming protest at Lillypond terminal by freight agents under the codename “Initiative”.
According to him, the group might embark on a peaceful demonstration again to draw the attention of the federal government and the National Assembly on state of the industry.
“We are not protesting to disrupt port operations. What we intend to do is to embark on a peaceful demonstration to let the government understand what we are facing “
“We are not going to disturb anybody .We the stakeholders are ready for the demonstration but we are communicating with the relevant authorities”.
Making case for Lillypond terminal, the Chairman pleaded to the government to put in place stringent measures to revive Tin Can 2,adding that terminal has been under utlilsed in the last four years.
He noted that Tin Can Area Command is dependant on the Free Trade Zone adding that” Without the zone the command would have been closed down.
When contacted, the Nigerian Ports Authority said it was not aware of development even as it promised to contact the security department for investigation.
Issa Suwaid, an official in the Corporate and Strategic Communication department of the Authority said, “I am not aware of that. Don’t worry, I will discuss with the security
The foremost Customs Brokers group also alleged that security personnel of the Authority connive with other security operatives assigned to take charge of traffic on the port access roads to extort truck drivers before entering the ports.
The group further called on the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman to withdraw security personnel from the roads leading to the ports because they cause more problems to the truckers.
The Chairman, Tin Can 2 Chapter of the association, Olufemi Olabanji told newsmen on Monday in Lagos, that NPA had all it takes to address the gridlock and congestion on the roads linking the ports but alleged that officials of agency had contributed to the delay in returning empty containers to the port.
Olabanji who also doubles as the chief executive officer of Femat Nigeria limited, maintained that the call up system had failed to yield any result toward resolving traffic along the corridors.
Citing instances, Olabanji alleged that “Officials of NPA can be seen in areas like Area B Police station, Ijora brigde ,Liverpool, Wharf road and Creek road with other agencies collecting N40,000 from truck owners and freight forwarders on container laden trucks.
The ANLCA chairman further cleared the air on the looming protest at Lillypond terminal by freight agents under the codename “Initiative”.
According to him, the group might embark on a peaceful demonstration again to draw the attention of the federal government and the National Assembly on state of the industry.
“We are not protesting to disrupt port operations. What we intend to do is to embark on a peaceful demonstration to let the government understand what we are facing “
“We are not going to disturb anybody .We the stakeholders are ready for the demonstration but we are communicating with the relevant authorities”.
Making case for Lillypond terminal, the Chairman pleaded to the government to put in place stringent measures to revive Tin Can 2,adding that terminal has been under utlilsed in the last four years.
He noted that Tin Can Area Command is dependant on the Free Trade Zone adding that” Without the zone the command would have been closed down.
When contacted, the Nigerian Ports Authority said it was not aware of development even as it promised to contact the security department for investigation.
Issa Suwaid, an official in the Corporate and Strategic Communication department of the Authority said, “I am not aware of that. Don’t worry, I will discuss with the security
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