The Commissioner of Police in charge of Western Ports; Mr. Celestine Okoye has raised an alarm that proliferation of freight forwarding associations in the maritime sector has become a major challenge to port operations, even as he charged the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) to play a leading role in ensuring that associations speak with one voice.
Okoye stated this yesterday in Apapa when the NAGAFF executives led by its National President, Increase Uche laid him a working visit.
He said that due to multiplicity of associations, freight forwarders are most times, speaking discordant tunes and this makes it difficult for Police to know which party to trust.
The commissioner specifically decried the crisis in the National Council of Managing Directors of License Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) over leadership tussle. According to him, several petitions are being sent to his office from various factions, but upon police investigation, most of them are false.
"We have NAGAFF, National Council of Managing Directors, ANLCA, what are these multiplicity of associations while they are doing the same job, you should have a common body because by this multiplicity of associations, you will be speaking in discordant tunes"
"I look at it as another area creating problems in the port, agents are serious stakeholders"
"I am asking you to do something about this, you can all come together so that we can have a well-fortified association", he advised.
On the upcoming chapter elections in NAGAFF, he assured the association of maximum security at any venue chosen for the elections.
Speaking earlier, NAGAFF president; Mr Increase Uche commended the commissioner for restoring security, law and order at the port, saying that his decision to relocate his base from Marina to Apapa has been justified.
Increase however raised an alarm that one of the major challenges of NAGAFF is the flouting of government due process at the PTML terminals.
He said that NAGAFF members are being restricted from accessing the terminal at Tin Can and Mile 2 because of port access cards.
He argued that "In 2011 and 2012 when the ISPS code was at its hype, there was an agreement that entrance into the port requires that your name must be on the register of freight forwarders managed by the CRFFN, thereafter the list would be made available to shipping companies, NPA, and others. And also, the issuance of port pass should be based on CRFFN list"
"But with the way things are going now, unfortunately while others are using that register, PTML terminal is now insisting that it must be customs license, this is contrary to the ministerial directive"
Increase also said that there is congestion inside the port because of the refusal of terminal operators to transfer overtime containers to Ikorodu Lighter Terminal. He added that most times, when a Customs Area Controller issues an order that the containers be moved to Ikorodu, the terminal operators would refuse.
"Right now there is congestion inside the port, there is hardly any terminal that is not congested now, when containers are booked, for three days, dropping the container for customs examination is an issue. Also, taking delivery of cargoes is an issue, there is delay because they are discharging cargo from vessels and our members are forced to pay demurrage’’, he lamented.
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