The Tin Can Island port chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) yesterday dispelled insinuation that its protest at the Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) on Monday failed because it did not enjoy the backing if some quarters.
The association maintained yesterday that it was the appeal by well-meaning stakeholders, including agencies of government that made the association to have re-think.
The Tin Can Island port chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) yesterday dispelled insinuation that its protest at the Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) on Monday failed because it did not enjoy the backing if some quarters.
The association maintained yesterday that it was the appeal by well-meaning stakeholders, including agencies of government that made the association to have re-think.
The association, which had braced up and organised its members for a protest against terminal operator; TICT) on Monday, disclosed yesterday that the action was put on hold when its leaders were prevailed upon by notable individuals.
Vice chairman of the chapter; Mrs Ada Akopunonu, whio insisted that ANLCA still has grievances against TICT, however told Shipping Position Daily that even though its members had been mobilized for the protest, the association was prevailed upon by the Port Manager, the Customs Area Controller , the Police and the Department of State Security to shelf the action.
“Our people were ready, we wanted to demonstrate to let the world know what the TICT is doing, but the port manager, the CAC, the Police and the SSS engaged us and made us to see reason”, she told our correspondent.
She also took a swipe at the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) for over estimating itself.
“We don’t need NAGAFF to protest, we don’t need to consult them, we are customs brokers, only a few of them (NAGAFF) are licensed, we don’t need freight forwarders to demonstrate, we are customs brokers”, she said.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that the Tin Can port chapter chairman of NAGAFF; Azubuike Ekweozor had last weekend directed his members not to be part of the strike.
He had ordered members at the chapter to boycott the planned strike.
Ekweozor alleged that the strike was being hatched by ANLCA in order to disrupt businesses at the port.
"The strike which is to commence today (yesterday) is being hatched by our sister association in order to disrupt businesses at one of the nation's biggest ports where the Nigeria Customs Service collects its revenue on behalf of the federal government", the statement added.
But the ANLCA said NAGAFF was inconsequential to its planned protest and that it was not the boycott by NAGAFF that scuttled the protest. “Their opinion is not needed, we never needed them, NAGAFF couldn’t have stopped us”
“We don’t need to consult with NAGAFF to organise our protests, we are customs brokers, they are freight forwarders, how many of them are engaged in clearing”, Akpunonu said.
On the rationale behind the botched strike, the ANLCA vice chair maintained that their problem with TICT is a prolonged one.
“We have been on this since 2013; they TICT have continued to charge for services not rendered, even on the last democracy day on the May 29 that is a public holiday for everyone, TICT still insist on charging us”
The activities of TICT are inimical ot the federal government, they stopped booking at 12 noon, they don’t have holding bay, whe you go to collect container deposit refund, it’s gone”, she lamented.
She also alleged that the TICT’s managing director “hates the black man with passion”, adding that he always treats complaints by clearing agents with disdain and disrespect.
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