Ministerial Committee Wants Customs to Waive Penalty Charge

Fresh details emerged over  the weekend confirming that more recommendations were in the offing in the task of cutting down on high charges that are allegedly currently being collected by terminal operators on cargoes arriving Nigerian ports.
Early last week, the minister of transport, Alhaji Ibrahim Bio had ordered immediate stoppage of eight levies. Thy are ; service charge, bank charge, turn over charge, concessionaires service charge, tally clerk charge, port administration charge, ISPS Code charge, and sorting charge.
But a copy of the report which was sighted by Shipping Position Weekly over the weekend revealed that apart form the eight, the ministerial committee which probe the allegations also recommended that the Nigeria Customs Service should stop collecting the 20 per cent penalty charge which is currently imposed on discrepant containers.
Then committee which is headed by the executive secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Capt. Adamu Biu also recommended the creation of more off-dock facilities to take the pressure of the ports. The committee however stressed that ultimately there is need for more ports to be built.
Members of the committee include: managing director, NPA, Mallam Abdusallam Mohammed, executive director, NPA, Ms Aina Egharevba, Port manager, Lagos port, Mt Joshua Asanga and the Special Assistant to the minister, Mazi O.C Ezem.
The committee also has four freight forwarders as members. They are: Mr Lucky Amiwero, Mr Dayo Azeez, Mr Eugene Nweke, and Mr Francis Omotosho.