Apparently determined to hike haulage charges come 2017, truck owners under the auspices of Joint Council of Seaport Truckers (JCOST) are currently shopping for a lawyer that could guide in actualising its motives.
JCOST has expressed willingness and determination that the hike would be implemented without hiccups next year.
Chairman of JCOST, Alhaji kayode Odunowo in chat with Auto Port Weekly, stressed the need for the amalgamated group of truckers to hire a lawyer.
Odunowo stated that, "JCOST has decided to hire a lawyer to guide us properly in move to increase cost of moving containers from the ports to the importers’ destination"
"During the meeting we had ,members suggested that we need a lawyer, most especially a maritime lawyer that can go through our recommendations and suggestions"
"Somebody who can advise us from a legal stand point for us not to make any mistake in the process"
"Our action may not be on the right track, but with a lawyer we can get it right. "
He however said that the hike on haulage rates by January 2017 was not visible considering the move to seek a lawyer.
"We have to put so many things in considering before we can increase our charges and we have to set up about three committees as regard what we are about to do on the hike on haulage services", he added.
Also, secretary General of JCOST, Comrade Godwin Ikeji said the move by truck owners under the group was key, stressing the need to have a legal framework on the benchmark.
"We are still working on the modalities on the hike but as for now there is possibility to increase haulage rate in January 2017"
Ikeji however expressed worries over compliant level saying that the framework to implement the process would be very expensive to go by.
He also added that the group will have no option than to halt the process of new haulage rate, which is supposed to commence in January.
Ikeji lamented that the current haulage rate collected by truckers can no longer sustain the business anymore.
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