Freight forwarders blame container evacuation delay on terminal operators

Freight forwarders under the auspices of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders have accused terminal operators at the Tincan Island Ports of frustrating the evacuation of overtime containers.

Overtime cargoes are cargoes that have stayed beyond 90 days in the terminal

The Coordinator of the 100 per cent Compliance Team of NAGAFF, Mr Tanko Ibrahim, who stated this in a chat with The PUNCH in Lagos on Monday, said the trapped overtime containers are estimated to be around 15, 000.

He added that the terminal operators which include the Port and Cargo terminal, and the Tincan Island Container Terminal both in Tincan Island are frustrating the Federal Government’s efforts to decongest the port of overtime containers.

Tanko stated that the terminal has refused to cooperate with the committee on overtime cargoes to see how these container challenges could be addressed stressing that the terminal operators are frustrating the efforts of the government.

“You know there is a law that guides everybody including the Customs and agents and everybody should have a limit. Now you as a terminal operator you the custodian of all these boxes, you are not the owner only the custodian,” Tanko said.

Tanko explained that by right any container that stayed beyond 90 days would be classified as overtime and should be taken back to the government bonded terminal.

He added that it is the importer or the owner of the cargo that would decide whether to run the overtime through the Assistant Controller General of Customs. “ Then you come and examine the container under the controller, and if there is a debit note on it, you pay, and you carry your container and go. The government wants to make it easier for the citizens.”

“But in this case now, they even refuse to allow the committee to have access to these boxes, they refuse the owner to even have access to the boxes.  We pay the duty, examine, and apply for a waiver but they refuse to grant that waiver to us, so tell me what do they want? And the overtime containers are over 15, 000. The affected terminals are the ones under Tincan Island which include, Ports and Cargo, Tincan Island Container Terminal among others,” he explained.

He also that they have given terminal operators a two-week ultimatum, starting from Monday, 14th of October warning that if no changes are made at the end of the ultimatum, they will take decisive action.

Corroborating what Tanko said, the Secretary of the Western Zone of NAGAFF, Mr.Stanley Ezenga, said, “After 90 days the containers are supposed to be moved to overtime depot at Ikorodu. But the issue is that the terminal operators are aware that once the containers are moved, to Ikorodu, they will lose their demurrages, rents, and storage charges which is why they don’t want to move it. They prefer to keep it so that by the time you want to come and clear it you will pay no matter how long it stayed there.”

Also speaking, the Chairman Ports and Terminal Chapter Chairman of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Mr Abayomi Duyile, said, “Some terminals are seriously frustrating the initiative, this has been going on for a long time now.”

Meanwhile, in his response, the Head of Corporate Communication of SIFAX Group, owners of Ports and Cargo Terminal, Mr Muyiwa Akande, said, “I haven’t received approval to speak on this”.

Also when contacted, the Head of Corporate Communications, Strategies and Initiatives of TICT, Mr Philip Ojo, requested an official email on the subject matter and he is yet to respond to the mail as at the time of filling this report.