The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in collaboration with the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO) is introducing a GPS system that will enable agents track their consignments until it gets to final destination.
A meeting between both associations held at the National Secretariat of ANLCA in Lagos on Tuesday, where AMARTO Chairman, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, accompanied by the association's consultant, Chief Chris Orode assured that they have got the buy-in of the Lagos State Government, the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to introduce an effective call-up system at the port.
Under the new system, truck drivers would no longer go to the ports unless they are invited by the terminal operators.
Speaking with press men at the end of the meeting, National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu said that the essence of introducing a GPS tracker on trucks is to put an end to 'flying' of containers and some cargoes missing in transit.
He commended the AMARTO on its effort at introducing call-up system at the port, saying that this is long overdue Nigeria is the only port in the world without a call-up system.
Shittu said that the GPS tracker is an innovation of ANLCA to protect its clients from cargo losses, stressing that ANLCA members are the employers of freight forwarders and transporters; hence they must support the association by ensuring their trucks carry the tracker.
"We are also partnering with them to introduce GPS to track cargoes going from the port to any part of the country, we will use the GPS to monitor the cargo, it is an initiative we are sharing with AMATO and it will come up very soon"
"It is the customs agent that owns the job, all other people are employees, we are employers of freight forwarders, get me a trailer, he gets it, load it and transport it, he does it" Shittu stated.
The ANLCA President commended the Lagos State Government for keying into the call-up system, even as he recalled that the recent clash between the government and truck drivers as a result of restrictions on truck drivers will now be avoided in the future.
"There is a new innovation which is welcomed in the industry and it is the call-up system, you and I know that the way we do things in this industry is too shoddy, a situation whereby you load a container and the container grows wings and fly without getting to the final destination, the call-up system is going to give us free access to the seaport"
"If you load a container, you should be able to return the container to the stacking area or holding bay of the shipping company"
"We are the owners of the cargo, you know the challenges we have accessing the port, now they have a holding bay at the port where there will be a call-up system, it is done everywhere all over the world except Nigeria"
"They are telling us the progress they have made in meeting with government agencies, and we are also introducing the GPS we have done for our cargo" Shittu said.
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