By Uzor Odigbo
Nigeria’s economy appears to be declining steadily as exported cargoes are trapped onboard barges along Lagos waterways.
This followed the partial window closure of barge operations by some concessionaires.
TheNicheng.com gathered that port concessionaire, ENL Consortium, recentiy halted barge activities at its facilities over issues bothering on operational obstruction.
Checks also confirmed that the suspension of barge operations at the facilities has further compounded movement of export along the corridors inward Apapa port.
A source explained, “ENL has no stake in barge operations rather assisting other concessionaires like APM.Terminal to facilitate trade.
“But for a while now it is observed that barge activities were affecting operations of ENL and for that reason madam had to suspend it because truly thoroughfare of the bargers is causing serious delay in our operations.”
On the agony and frustration, the President General of the National Association of Freight Forwarders and Air Consolidators (NAFFAC ) , Prince Adeyinka Bakare,
expressed displeasure over the thoroughfare suspension of barge operations at the facilities.
He said that exported cargoes spend longer period along the port corridors.
The freight forwarder lamented that with the recent suspension , shippers are beginning to count their losses, pointing out that the process of barge activities initially helped to facilitate free flow of export into the seaport despite the high cost charges.
He reiterated that the flow of exported cargoes inward the Lagos port suffered setbacks as movement of such consignments have been hampered due to the latest development.
Bakare, who also doubles as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, De-Potter Nigeria Limited and member, governing council of CRFFN, maintained that the presence of multiple government agencies in charge of traffic control along the port corridors have hindered trade facilitation with high level of frustration on the investment.
Noting that the exportation of cargoes are stranded at the corridors without any form of control by traffic managers, Bakare explained the repair works on Marine bridge further compounded the flow of consignments inward the port.
He called on the regulatory agencies to proffer alternative means of barge operations to cushion the effect of shippers and their consignments.
According to him, exported cargoes should be given preferential treatment to boost government foreign exchange earnings in a view to revive the value of the nation’s currency.
In a related development, former Chairman, Lilypond Chapter, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Olufemi Olabanji, expressed worries over negligence on the part of government agencies to give preferential treatment for exported cargoes to access the ports.
The licensed Customs agents disclosed that about six containers laden with exports are trapped on waters for over a month due to the suspension of barge operations.
Olabanji, who is the managing director, FEMAT Nigeria Limited, lamented that the cumbersome process for export to access the seaports have frustrated investors’ interest to patronage business of shipping, adding that such commodities spend weeks along the corridors while others are stranded on waters.
He further stated that some of the consignments are also trapped along the corridors for weeks without any form of succour to ameliorate the hardship by government agencies in charge of traffic.
“The window for barge operations have been halted for a while and we are frustrated because nobody is coming to our aid. I wrote some letters to NPA and no response up until this moment.
“My consignments are trapped on waters for weeks while some are stalk on the road. Some are in my garage and I don’t know what to do,”
Olabanji lamented.
