The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says it has commenced investigations into allegations of fraud and arm-twisting of port users that were levelled against Grimaldi Shipping, through its issuance of N10, 000 Port Access Card to clearing agents and other users of port services.
Confirming the probe to Shipping Position Daily at the weekend, NPA Tin Can Island Port Manager, Mr. Emmanuel Akporherhe said that the NPA convened a meeting at his office last week between the terminal operator; Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) a subsidiary of Grimaldi shipping, as well as representatives of the freight forwarding associations.
The allegation and investigations coincides with threats by clearing agents at the PTML to shut down all activities at the terminal on Monday (today) if the terminal operator continues to request for the access card from agents seeking to access the terminal to do business.
But, Tin Can port Manager; Akporherhe told our correspondent that he had directed the terminal operator to maintain status quo until the NPA investigation is concluded.
Sources at the port confirmed last week to our correspondent that the Tin Can port manager and a team sent from the NPA headquarters were on a fact-finding mission to the PTML Terminal last week, making enquiries from agents and customs officers so as to get the true picture of the crisis.
According to anonymous sources in the NPA, the agency feels that being the landlord of the port, it was wrong of the PTML to implement such collections without notifying NPA. The NPA also argued that NPA is the only agency that is saddled with the responsibility of issuance of the port pass by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC)
Speaking with our correspondent, Akporherhe said: “We had a meeting and I told them (PTML) that the status quo should remain until I sort out issues with my management, there are still some investigations I am going to make before we would meet again and sort it out”
“The decision on whether they should suspend it depends on the head office, but I only advised them to maintain status quo until head office communicates back, I don’t have the full power to take that decision, we believe that we would be able to resolve it amicably. I was there yesterday and I saw things for myself, but I want to get into the terminal again and see the present status”.
While responding to threats by clearing agents to disrupt commercial activities at the terminal due to continual use of the access card, the NPA port manager said, “we have already moved into the case, so why should they shut down anything? Since they have been paying, they have not complained, but now that they have complained, they should give us time to resolve the issue and not to jump into anything”
“I was with my Executive Director yesterday, and from our discussion, we are still going back there to see things for myself before reporting back to management”
Also speaking with Shipping Position Daily, clearing agents took turn to condemn the PTML over its issuance of access card to operators. One of them, a chieftain of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Mr. Gani Adeola said that this action is in full disregard for the laws of Nigeria, the NPA and the Ease of Doing Business directive of the federal government.
He argued since the NPA was already issuing port pass to clearing agents, the PTML access card becomes a duplication.
“NPA came to the port today, they have condemned the access card, they came to the port to interview the agents, and they gathered a lot of information on how the terminal and shipping company was collecting money from the agents”
“The NPA told us that it has directed PTML to stop issuing the access card because they are the landlord of the port, Grimaldi has no right to issue access card to anybody seeking access into the port, we have been writing on this for long, PTML does not have the right to issue card to anybody, it is an illegality”.
Also speaking with our correspondent, Chairman of ANLCA at PTML, Elder Oluwole Obe said that he had pleaded with the PTML to suspend the issuance of fresh cards till end of May, 2018. According to him, the terminal renews the card yearly around January, and each licensed customs agent is asked to pay N10,000 for it.
“I have pleaded with them to extend it till May, they supposed to have blocked the access card in January, we are now asking them to make it tally with customs calendar when it usually expire licenses, so that we would now renew it together”
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