Abuja Shippers Laments The Delay In Clearing Goods At The Nigerian Ports
Oru Leonard
The Abuja Shippers Association has lamented the delay in clearing goods at the Nigerian ports.
The Chairman of Abuja Shippers Association, Mr Emeka Maduekeh said this while speaking during their general meeting at the Nigerian Shippers council office in Abuja.
Emeka noted that their goods are deliberately delayed sometimes to increase cost incurred as demurrage.
He said that the absence of a national shipping line makes the shipping companies to take Nigerian shippers for granted.
“This meeting is to map out positive steps towards repositioning the sector through the blue print and realistic action plan”, he noted
He condemned the reluctance of the shipping companies to take containers from Nigeria.
”Not only do they delay shippers taking their goods to increase demurrage, they bring in say 500 containers and take only 50 containers from Nigeria. Preferring to pick up containers from other African ports. They also dump their empty containers at the ports which is contributing to the grid lock” he lamented.
Addressing the meeting, the representative of the Executive Secretary NSC, Barr Hassan Bello called on the Shippers to take advantage of the dry ports to fast track movement of goods.
A participant from National Freight Haulers association, Mr Adukwu advised that government should sensitize shippers as well as publicise the incentives for patronising the dry ports.
Commenting on Government’s policy of a single window to facilitate the clearing of goods at the ports Adukwu said: “The same bureaucracy has remained in place. It is one thing to sit down in the comfort of your office and issue an executive order, it is another thing to follow the executive order through to ensure it is carried out .
*Unfortunately, in this part of the country, what has been reigning is impunity, people do what they like”.
A licensed clearing agent with the Nigerian customs complained about Nigerian importers giving false information on the nature of goods in their container which he said is behind the delay in clearing goods since containers have to be painstakingly checked, to ensure accuracy of information on the bill of loading. He called for registration of all importers to eliminate sharp practices at the port.
Another participant Mr Uche called for increase in ease of shipping as well as the elimination of agents who he said shortchange the Shippers. He appealed that all requirements for shipping should be clearly spelt out on the website of the Shippers association to enable members comply.
Mr Phillip Eboh, a freight forwarder, called for a dual view x-ray machine in Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to encourage large cargoes to be screened at the same time.
The outcome of the meeting included composition of various committees to reposition the association. They are Constitution Review, Annual Conference/ Symposium, Research and Development, Editorial, Membership and Awareness Creation/ Publicity Committees.
