Tin Can Port Crisis: Bello assures freight forwarders of solution soon

Freight forwarders were full of lamentations when the management team of the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, led by the  Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello,  visited  the Tin Can  Island port to assess  the situation  following series of crises being  suffered by importers at the  seaport.

A large crowd made up of importers and their freight forwarders had stormed the seaport on learning about the visit to the troubled terminal owned by the Tin Can Island Container Terminal Limited to complain of the nightmare they have been going  through at the port.
One of  the agents and Publicity Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agent, ANLCA, Mr Emmanuel  Onyeme, told the team that the agents had been going through hell as a result of arbitrary charges, extortion  and delays  while clearing their goods at the  Lagos ports.

Onyeme  said    his association had given the management of TICT  seven days ultimatum to reverse the issue of delivery order as a requirement for examination booking or face the wrath of the agents.
He accused the management of the terminal of  introducing policies that were inimical to best international practices.

Bello, who expressed concern over  what he  described as poor condition  under which the agents were exposed to while clearing their goods assured that his council was determined to ensure that  all the issues affecting trade facilitation  and necessary efficiency were addressed.

He told the agents that his council had already intervened on the  problems being faced at the port  by inviting some of the  terminal operators and importers association  for discussion on how to resolve the matter.
He disclosed that his council would  continue to visit  all the ports on regular basis to see things  and ensure that the right atmosphere is created for goods delivery.

He insisted that  importers or their agents should not be made to pay  demurrage   when it was not their fault that such charges  were incurred.

Bello who said that the visit of his team was a follow-up to a similar visit by the  Special Adviser to the President on Ports assured the agents that everything  would be done to resolve the issues.

The NSC boss also cautioned  importers and freight forwarders against making incorrect declaration, adding that  such practices would lead to delays  when clearing their goods.

Terminal Manager of  TICT, Mr Richards Akingbolu, had while denying some of the allegations leveled against his company claimed that part of the problems was the issue of overtime containers at the port.