The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has urged its members to shun payment of demurrages and storage fees that may be charged by terminal operators during or after the lockdown owing to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing its members at the various terminals in Lagos last weekend, the western zonal coordinator of the association; Mr John Oforbike told ANLCA members to shun payment of any demurrage or storage fee.
He also tasked ANLCA to be ready to come out to protest if terminal operators demand payment for demurrages or storage of cargoes during the lockdown.
He said although the Federal Government exempted its members and port operators from the lockdown, unfortunately, government did not give clearing agents access to the ports to work.
Oforbike informed that the association has done the needful by writing letters to terminal operators before now, for them to take note that demurrage and rent should be waved after the lockdown.
He stated that for any freight forwarder to have access to the port, he will have to bribe the security officials, noting that NPA had not issued port pass for agents in a long while.
According to him " the Federal Government knowing fully well that the next source of revenue after the crude oil is the maritime sector, they exempted our members and port operators from the lockdown, but unfortunately, government did not give us access to the port to work.
"We have a great role to play within the economy as freight forwarders and customs brokers, freight forwarding is a chain that comprises the banks, the shipping companies, the dockworkers among others. Without any of the chain working, we cannot achieve our result.
"We thank the government for putting this lockdown, it is not a punishment to us, it is to our own benefit to ensure we do not contract the Coronavirus.
"We have done the needful, written letters to terminal operators before now, for them to take note that demurrage and rent should be waved after the lockdown. But some people are going around calling people to come to work, and that work is going on, where are the banks? We cannot even pay duty, and this our work involves so much money.
"The CBN have said banks should not process any cheque during this lockdown. The banks are not working, the shipping companies close shop by 11’o clock, government said we should maintain social distancing, but if you go to the port now, you would see clearing agents above 500 struggling to book, only two staff are attending to them
"The leadership of the whole association are working for your interests, but where I would be angry with you is that after the whole lockdown, somebody is asking you to pay demurrage and you go ahead to pay, when we say let's lockdown the port, you must come out.
"When last did NPA issued us port pass? And they are asking us to come to the port, the port is not working”, he said.
Speaking also, the chapter chairman of the Tin Can Chapter of the association, Mr Segun Oduntan said the directive coming from the government agencies is conflicting, he urged customs brokers to stay at home
He said clearing agents are also Nigerians who have families and loved ones.
He informed that some of the agents have already started their jobs halfway before the lockdown, adding that some of them cannot longer sleep, while some have developed high blood pressure.
He said this is as a result of conflicting instructions that keeps coming out which has made the people lost confidence in leadership of the association
Also speaking, Mr Dom Onyeka the Apapa Chapter chairman of the association noted that although freight forwarders are ready to work he said truckers, bankers, dockworkers who are part of the clearing chain cannot access the port because of the lockdown.
He appealed to government to talk to the operators because the demurrage is counting, they should waive it so that there would be peace between the terminal operators and the government agents.
The KLT Chapter Chairman of the association Mr Goddy Sewa Soleji said since the government pronouncement there have skeletal activities at the Port, while stating that there are no buses to convey clearing agents who have business to transact at the port.
"After the government pronouncement that the port cannot be shut down, there has been no full operations at the port, it is just skeletal operations we are seeing, even the movement to the port is an issue”, he said.
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