“KLT Is Not Busy As It Used To, But …’’

Chief Fabian Okafor is the Chairman , Kirikiri Lighter Terminal [KLT] and member Board Of Trustee [BoT]of The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders[NAGAFF].In this interview with Shipping Position Daily correspondent, Roland Ekama, the co -founder of NAGAFF listed some of the challenges in his chapter and also shed light on other industry –related issues.

In your own view, can the customs be able to meet the N1.2 trillion target?

In your own view, can the customs be able to meet the N1.2 trillion target?
It will only be magical if they meet with the target because since the introduction of benchmark, most of the importers have stopped importing goods and those with their consignments cannot even clear them and as a result the ports are empty. On the part of the customs, nobody forced them to set the target; even the government on its part did not force them to bring the amount. It is the customs that insisted that they will bring such amount into the government coffer. They decided to bring in N1.2 trillion to government which I do not thing is visible to achieve; otherwise they will stress Nigerians and as such, will lead to inflation in the country.

As the chairman of NAGAFF, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal [KLT] what are the major challenges faced by your chapter?
The challenges are many because as the chairman of an association it is a very tough seat whereby you have to do a lot to achieve some certain goals in port operation. In today’s port operation and as a result of reforms in the industry coupled with the introduction of computer, it is something else because back then everything was manually done but today ASYCUDA is in place and people can now stay in Abuja to tell you what to pay which has created a lot of problems coupled with the multiplication of government agencies in the port system whereby you will find a particular agency with about three units .For instance police has four units in KLT which is not supposed to be, after that when you get to CIU you will also encounter similar problem but as the chairman of this chapter I and my colleagues have been able to discuss some of the problems with the Customs Area Controller on how to find a lasting solution. Again ,when I came here as the chairman of the association, we had eight terminals but today we don’t have up to four terminals at KLT as a result of the harsh economy situation .Maersk Line folded up, partially SDV is struggling and two others which includes Phase and Comet Shipping which normally brings in containers from Tin Can Island and from the series of meeting with C.A.C who said there is need for everyone to go out and discuss with importers so that they can change their mind and make everything work out for all of us in the port business.KLT is not busy as it used to be, but we still have it at the back of our mind that things will definitely take shape because the meetings with the C.A.C have been very effective which will bring about changes but really activities at this place has dropped. Back then, we used to record about 100 containers at KLT but for now we hardly see 10 containers that are transferred to this place rather what we see right here are just empty containers.

In your own opinion, who is a freight forwarder and who is a licensed customs agent?
A freight forwarder is a person who is fully involved in the movement of cargo from the point of origin to the point of destination which is the simple way of defining who a freight forwarder is and you can even say that a freight forwarder is not simply a person that is involved in licensed custom agent but things like packaging, haulage even as far as shipping, he is so diversified when it comes to the business. But, a customs licensed agent otherwise known in Nigeria as clearing agent, is that person or individual who has the license to operate with the customs which indicates that you can stamp your document at the port and make the move to remove consignment from the port. That is what they do, but we are talking about port to door and door to door services which includes the point of origin to the point of destination through the international frontiers, that is a freight forwarder and that is universally accepted because in other countries of the world, they don’t talk about clearing agent, but I am very sure that overseas they don’t have anything like clearing agent. However, it is the CEMA that made it look the way it is in Nigeria.

As a registered freight forwarder, has the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria lived up to expectations in the area of manpower development?
I must say that they are trying in that regards, I think since the inception of CRFFN in 2007 and we all know that there are a lot of problems facing its establishment because there was understanding between all freight forwarding associations in respect of its establishment but today I think it has fared better by bringing freight forwarders together.

In your own opinion, how can government control the influx of people into the Nigeria seaports?
With the introduction of a data base that is the bio – metric identity card, it can solve that problem of the number of people going in and out of the port and I think another way to tackle the issue is through the Nigeria Police by ensuring that they demand for identity cards from those in the port in other to know if they have that bio – metric card. Members of my association will soon collect theirs which is not yet out at the moment but I think it is a very good way to address the influx of people into the Nigerian seaports and with that alone, if you are not a freight forwarder you cannot enter the port. Like I said earlier, freight forwarding encompasses so many aspects of the business and as haulage person which involves transportation, if you do not have anything in the port then why must you be seen in the port complex and a transporter must have permission from the authority concerned before gaining entrance into the port. I believe they also need their own form of bio metric identity which I want to say will be a one stop shop to every port user, that is every other person who has one or two businesses at the ports. As a result of insecurity in the country it is not proper for everybody to enter the port premises.

Are satisfied with the Lagos state government and the presidential committee on port reform on the success recorded on the Apapa Oshodi expressway?
We are all satisfied with the development by the government and I learnt that the road has been contracted for some billions of naira, but at the moment they have done a lot by evacuating the vehicles from the ports access roads which I pray they don’t find their way back on the roads. A lot has been done by government to ensure that such vehicles leave the roads and looking at the road for now, you can now move from KLT to Lagos port without hitches and that is how it ought to be from the beginning because transportation of goods is also part of freight forwarding and when goods are stuck in traffic, it will affect the chain of distributing goods and services to the final consumers.

As the chairman of NAGAFF, how can you assess Customs in KLT and other agencies of the government?
I will say that the relationship with Customs has been cordial because he that lives in a glass house don’t throw stones, but in summary of the whole thing, I will say that some of the hiccup right here is probably caused by the agents at KLT, by and large I must say that the relationship between us and the Customs is very cordial. For other agencies of the government, I will say that their role is complementary because their own is not as that of the Customs. For instance what will the police do with the Customs document? Customs is there to collect and generate revenue for the government while other agencies at the port is to prevent and protect the ports to make sure that there is orderliness at the ports.