“For someone who has bulk containers to clear; let’s say you loaded 100 containers going to Kano, it will take you a minimum of 30 days to clear all the containers because Customs rations the consignment in fives, so before the 100 containers leave the port you have incurred huge demurrage because NPA charges N25,000 for each day you stay in the port. So most times, you finish the job without making money.”
It was all lamentations by Clearing agents under the umbrella of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) over delays and extortions by both officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Ports Authority( NPA) at the Onne port Gate, in Rivers State.
The Clearing Agents operating in the eastern ports had pour out their frustrations of alleged activities of both agencies during the three days official working visit by the ANLCA Acting National President, Dr Kayode Farinto and his team to the eastern port last week.
Most frustrating according to the freight forwarders is the delay of Oil and Gas Free Zone consignments duly cleared from the Oil and Gas Customs Command, but are delayed alongside conventional cargoes from the Onne port at the Onne port gate , by Customs Officers. These delays according to the agents is attracting an extortion of N25,000 a day from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), as illegal packing fees.
Speaking at the meeting, chairman of the ANLCA Calabar chapter, Dr. Ohaebuchi Uchechukwu Magnus stated that containers duly cleared at the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone spent up to two weeks before it can exit the Onne port gate due to lack of Customs personnel to escort the consignment. He lamented that the situation is a serious challenge affecting clearing agents at the port.
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In the same vein, the Chairman Oil and Gas zone of ANLCA, Okere Chinyere said it takes a minimum of 30 days to move bulk containers from the port due to lack of Customs personnel to escort the consignment.She explained that as a result of that, freight forwarders are running into huge losses owing to demurrage charges incurred.
According to her “For someone who has bulk containers to clear; let say you loaded 100 containers going to Kano, it will take you a minimum of 30 days to clear all the containers because Customs rations the consignment in five, so before the 100 containers leave the port you have incurred huge demurrage because NPA charges N25,000 for each day you stay in the port after the first two days free grace period. So most time you finish the job without even making money for yourself and customs are living large” she lamented.
She said that the Oil and Gas Customs Command still exit it’s cargoes at Onne gate, as such Oil and Gas consignments which are urgently needed by operators are often delayed alongside conventional cargoes at the Onne port gate by Customs Officers, praying for the ANLCA leadership to take it up.
On the issue of multiple alerts, the agents accused the Customs especially at the gate of generating multiple alerts to extort them and called on the ANLCA leadership to look into it.
Speaking also, one of the clearing agents who simply known as Uzor lamented that multiple alerts on consignments which is discouraging trade in the eastern zone and as well making many of the freight forwarders to develop high blood pressure. He said there is need for the NCS to harmonize alerts to reduce the burden on freight forwarders.” This issue of multiple alerts needs to be tackled, because the more bill of lading you have the higher your blood pressure”
Also speaking, the chairman of Onne port chapter of the association, Chief Mike Ebeatu, said at times, containers stayed on trucks for over five months; not allowed to go in or out
Speaking on other challenges affecting the eastern zone, the chairman of Airport chapter Area 1, Port Harcourt, Charles Onyeama lamented the issue of the low volume of cargo at the eastern port, particularly at the airport chapter. He added that there are no jobs anymore, this is even as he said the MSC Shipping company has practically moved out of the area, he said this is due to the fact that the Port Harcourt Airport is not a certified airport and as such international airlines doesn’t come down to the airport making them lose cargoes that would have been coming to the port.
According to Roam Reporters checks, the Acting National President of ANLCA, Dr Kayode Farinto promised to engage the various Government agencies to tackle some of the challenges his members are facing. He also urged them to be compliance in their activities so as to be able to challenge any government agency that may trample of their rights