AFTERMATH OF CUSTOMS CLAMPDOWN ON APM TERMINAL:

• Knock ENL, APM Terminal, Five Star Logistics

Apparently concurring with from the recent threat by the Comptroller General of Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde to shutdown APM Terminal over the barrage of complaints by operators, maritime stakeholders, have said that none of the other terminal operators have been effective and efficient in the delivery of their services.

A cross section of stakeholders who spoke Shipping Position Daily in Lagos, expressed divergent views about port concessioning, even as they singled out indigenous terminal operator; Ports and Cargo Handling Service Limited for what they described as its drive to invest in the Nigerian port.

However, ENL Consortium Limited, APMT and Five Star Logistics terminal are some of the terminals in the Lagos seaports that were scored low and termed as unreliable in service delivery.

Stakeholders also berated the upper and lower chambers of the National Assembly on marine transport for their laudable efforts on ports concession.

As operators in the ports, maritime stakeholders have also reiterated that there is need for the Federal government to take drastic actions to put in place a commercial regulator that can checkmate arbitrary charges of the concessionaires.

Secretary General, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF),Mr. Increase Uche told our correspondent that operations of some of the terminal operators are questionable, even as he raised alarm over delay of containers at the ports.

Mr Uche said it was improper for containers to stay in the ports for over two weeks, saying that operations of the terminal operators are nothing to write about.

"Ports operations as of today is nothing to write about because they have not lived up to expectations to my own understanding because what we expected before now has to do with efficiency, reduction cost of doing business then again user friendly ports", he stated. "But as at today we have not achieved that, virtually all the terminal operators have failed us."

According to him, the good stories about the terminal operators are all propaganda pointing out those government committees on port operations have not even helped in painting true pictures of port reforms.
"Let the House (of Reps) Committee on Customs, committee of Marine Transport and others go to the operators for a first-hand information about the problems in the ports, otherwise nothing good will come out of the terminal operators", he advised.

He said the Customs CG outburst was justified because series of complaints about APM Terminal and that the Danish firm is a write-off.

He said that the customs boss’ observation of the terminal operator will also serve as a warning to other concessionaires about the need to improve on their operations.

On his part; Prince Offiong Emmanuel; a member of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), said that there is need to solve the problems in the nation's seaports because according to him, the ports are in serious deterioration.

He stressed that with Customs and Excise Management Act, the Nigeria Customs Service has the power to shutdown any of the terminals, despite the political backing, adding that the service is the eye of the Federal government in the ports.

"If not for the fact that the terminal operators are highly political inclined, all the terminal operators are supposed to be under the customs”, he stated.

He also lauded the indigenous terminal operator; Ports and Cargo Handling Services Limited for efficiency, being port user friendly and effective service delivery.

Meanwhile, a cross section of dockworkers expressed total dissatisfaction over some of the terminal operators.

Some of them lamented that ENL Consortium Limited and Five Star Logistics terminals have not invested in infrastructures.

They also expressed satisfaction with the performances of Tin Can Island Containers Terminal (TICT) and Ports and Cargo Handling Services Limited for efficient services.