Amidst the strike action in Lagos ports last week over the refusal of terminal operators and shipping companies to stop collection of demurrages and storage fees, the two leading freight forwarding associations operating at the nation's seaports; the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has reinstated their positions.
In a separate telephone interview with Shipping Position Daily on Friday, the two associations which admitted that they had utilized all the mechanisms to resolve the face-off over demurrage, however maintained that strike is not the best solution to the crisis in the ports.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NAGAFF, Mr. Stanley Ezenga noted that even though the activities of terminal operators and shipping companies will adversely affect the economy, they however warned their members to desist from any strike action.
"We note that the increment will adversely affect the economy of the country, but that notwithstanding, we asked our members not to join other associations, we asked them not to join hands in the strike action. We made it clear that NAGAFF members will not engage in any activity that will disrupt the economy", he stated.
Opposing the strike, Ezenga said that the association would use its internal mechanism to probe the action of its Apapa chapter chairman, Mr. Ndubuisi Uzoigbo.
Recall that the Apapa chapter chairman at the meeting with the Apapa Ports Manager, Mrs. Funmi Olotu, called for a strike action against what he tagged, "Criminality" on the side of AP Moller Terminal in Apapa.
On this, the NAGAFF spokesperson said: "On the Apapa chapter chairman, his action is regrettable, however we are going to address that through our own internal mechanism. We know that from now till Monday, there are still window for us to meet and restrategise on how to handle these things"
"He may have acted based on his emotions you know you cannot separate a man from his emotions. But then, sentiments aside, you have to look at the situations critically, you weigh the gains and loss before you take decision"
On his part, the national vice president of the ANLCA, Dr. Kayode Farinto maintained that the even though the association did not believe that strike is the only avenue, but it has exhausted all the necessary avenues.
He accused the shipping companies and terminal operators of refusing to honour the directive of both the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on demurrage and storage charges.
He said: "The issue is that two wrongs cannot make a right, all the diplomatic avenues have been used and it seems nobody is listening and our members are restless"
"Even the Shippers’ Council spoke to the shipping companies on waiver and they refused to honour it and these are directives from the federal government. So we looked at it as an act of sabotage".
Farinto added that there may be strike action next week if necessary actions are not taken, even as he accused the terminal operators and shipping companies of sabotaging the efforts of the federal government.
"I laid an official complaint to the Task Team, but unfortunately we are likely to see a situation where we are going to have a revolt from members, because they are actually tired"
"For now our association is not saying that we want to strike, but what we saw on Thursday was just a pocket revolt which may likely escalate next week (this week) if nothing is done"
"We are also taking a very high risk, because this Covid-19 does not know anybody and if after taking this risk the shipping companies and terminal operators are sabotaging it, it doesn't make sense. There was no industrial unrest, even though we are going have a strike, it is just going to be a withdrawal of services"
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