The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barrister Hassan Bello has slammed a ban on the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to stop all forms of fees collections at Onne ports.
Bello gave the warning recently at a town hall meeting organized by the South-South Zone of the Council in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He frowned at the continuous reports of ANLCA collecting ‘professional fees’ at Onne Port, noting that this is part of the activities that impede smooth clearance of goods at the port.
BBello who was represented by Chief Cajetan Agu; Deputy Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement at the Council said that, as the port economic regulator is poised to embark on programmes and policies that will facilitate trade and fast track clearing.
Bello pleaded with concerned stakeholders at the port for patience, assuring that the issue of ANLCA as well as all other issues raised will be sorted out in 2016 as the council is ready to take pragmatic measures to address them.
Speaking during the town hall meeting, a clearing agent; Mr. Sam Epiah called on the Shippers’ Council to investigate duplicated checkpoints at the Onne Port by Nigeria Customs, noting that the practice breeds corruption.
He also queried why customs should continue to go outside the port area, to harass and intimidate cargo truck drivers, advising that customs should restrict their checks to the ports.
‘’ When you put the big money on the table, the rules of customs bends, I’m not ready to cut corners’’, Mr. Sam Epiah stated.
On his part the Zonal Secretary of ANLCA; Dr Mayor Nwachukwu however defended the professional fees collection by his association, noting that ANLCA only collects fees from their members, and not from non-members.
On his part, a stakeholder, Mr. Henry A. Nsaka of Memima faulted port concessionaire; Intels for its alleged monopolistic and exploitative tendencies against importers.
He urged the Shippers’ Council to live up to its responsibilities by checkmating the excesses of Intels, not to stifle other ports in the Eastern zone.
Responding, Mr. Okey Onyema, who represented INTELS, debunked the allegations, describing it as lies that have been told about the company over time, and advised members of the public to disregard such misleading information. He said that Intels, is not operating monopoly of any type, and that their operations are not in any way exploitative.
According to him,there was an open bid for Onne ports, and we bided and won. We also had approval from government to handle oil and gas cargo only, and not bulk cargo. It is a government’s directive.
He added that his company had sunk well over N2Billion to fix Onne roads. ‘’ If you go to Onne, you will know we have done something’’, Mr. Onyema stated unequivocally.
Addressing the press shortly after the town hall meeting, the host and Deputy Director NSC, South South Zone pf Shippers Council, Mr. Philip Eduwah said that for the council as Port economic regulators to do well, it has decided to station its men inside the ports.
Mr. Eduwah said that the Council has forwarded a request to NPA for offices, noting that the Council’s men will move into the ports and take their right positions at the right time.
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