The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has threatened to divert all cargoes supposedly destined for Intels Nigeria Limited at Onne port in Rivers state to Cotonou port in Benin Republic over Federal Government directives that all oil and gas projects cargo be shipped down to the Rivers state- based concessionaire’s facilities.
The association also said that such moves by the federal government will rob off on the maritime sector negatively even as it called on President Goodluck Jonathan to review what it called harsh matching order.
President of ANLCA; Prince Olayiwola Shittu gave the threat yesterday, at the sideline of the public presentation of a book written by Dr. Obed Ndikom, titled; " Foundations of Shipping Operations and Transport Management" in Lagos.
Shittu stated that should President Goodluck Jonathan fail to rescind the decision, the association would have no option than to advice importers to ship their cargoes to Cotonuo port.
The ANLCA boss reiterated that the shippers have the right to decide where their cargoes will go, saying that the dying minute decision by the president is uncalled for.
He described the President Goodluck Jonathan directives as a bad decision for the nation, the economy, and the maritime sector in particular.
According to him, jobs given to multinationals is anti-local content and there is need for the incoming government to look into it with a view to addressing issues affecting local content in the country.
The ANLCA President said that the strategy put in place by the association is to ensure that cargoes that will come over to the Intels will be diverted to other neighbouring ports because of the obnoxious charges on importation.
"The issue at Intels is a very bad one for the maritime sector and it is going to affect all the operators"
"The federal government has decided that goods that have to do with oil industry must go to Intels , where everybody knows that in Intels, they charge in dollars which is contrary to what the CBN Governor is saying that it is illegal to transact business in Nigeria in foreign currency”.
He described the concessionaire as a sovereign in Nigeria maritime sector, alleging that its charges are 300% higher when compared to charges of others.
Shittu stressed that the directive of the President will be bring about hardship for the local operators, noting that it is of good benefit to the Onne port based terminal operator.
Speaking further, he said "we cannot be forced to pay such money to Intels because their charges are extra ordinary, but our strategy now is that our clients will move to Benin Republic then from there move them to Nigeria," he asserted.
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