Truckers under the aegis of Council of Maritime Truck Unions and Associations (COMTUA) have kicked against the new haulage rates being introduced by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
Shipping Position Daily observed that during the launch of the new rates by Shippers’ Council last week in Lagos, stakeholders and some tuckers were present.
Explaining their reasons for boycotting the event, the Head of Operations, COMTUA, Alhaji Abudllahi Inuwa, told our correspondent that the truckers are not fully aware of the new rates.
He also added that it is not the intention of truckers to hike the haulage rates, adding that the hike is a product of demand and supply.
“As far as I am concerned, what you are telling me about the new haulage rate, we are not fully aware because my secretariat from the national body of NARTO and COMTUA we are not fully aware of the new haulage rates”
Inuwa who is also the Chairman Dry Cargo Section of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), promised that although they were not fully aware of this new rate, they are in support of it.
“When you are like two or three looking for a truck and there is unavailability of the truck and whenever any truck comes, the price will go up. We are fully in support of the rate because at the initial stage we gave them our rates, but after giving them that rate that was when we had multiple extortion and all that and the demand for the trucks were high caused by the condition we found ourselves at that time”
“We know that transportation is all about demand and supply and it is not that we the transporters intentionally hike the transport fare, it is that the importer or the clearing agent that adds the price because of high demand”, he said.
Explaining further he said the association had been part of discussion for new rates.
“Initially, we were aware of the plan for new rates because they asked us sometime last year which we were able to submit the rates despite the challenges with the road issues and multiple extortion by the old military task force. We also had a meeting where we pointed out some factors which may not allow even what we planned to work”, he told our correspondent.
Inuwa however expressed hope that the new rate may work because of the presidential task team which has reduced the level of extortion on the roads.
“But now, if these things will work, thank God for the presidential task team that came that time; they have made so many impacts that we can now say there is hope for ease of doing business, but as far as I can see the roads are barely cleared now”, he concluded.
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