Freight forwarders at the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service have lamented their inability to clear cargoes from the port for the past two weeks due to frequent breakdown of the Customs server.
The complaints and anxiety were further heightened due to the insistence of the shipping company; Grimaldi, and its sister company, PTML Terminals on collecting charges for the days which the server broke down including the recent public holidays declared by the Federal Government last week
Freight forwarders at the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service have lamented their inability to clear cargoes from the port for the past two weeks due to frequent breakdown of the Customs server.
The complaints and anxiety were further heightened due to the insistence of the shipping company; Grimaldi, and its sister company, PTML Terminals on collecting charges for the days which the server broke down including the recent public holidays declared by the Federal Government last week
Speaking at the end of a closed-door meeting with PTML Customs boss yesterday, Compt. Adegoke Folorunsho, National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Prince Olayiwola Shittu told news men that his association has already petitioned the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala over the matter.
Even though officers of the command insisted that the server failure was not the fault of Customs, the freight forwarders have demanded that the Federal Government should revoke the contract of its service provider; Web Fontaine.
Shittu said that "the problem is caused by Web Fontaine and we have sent a petition to the Federal Government, ANLCA will take a position on Tuesday next week".
Also speaking with Shipping Position Daily at the command, Deputy National President of NAGAFF, Mr. Ugochukwu Nnadi noted that the server breakdown is peculiar with PTML Customs, saying that other commands are not experiencing this problem. He however advised the Customs Service to revoke the contract with Web Fontaine and acquire its own communication license.
According to him, the shipping company; Grimaldi Shipping and the Terminal; PTML, have been catching in on the inadequacies of the Customs by charging progressive demurrage on the cargoes lying at the port.
"Even the holidays they did not wave it, not to talk of when server breaks down" Nnadi said.
Throwing more light on the challenges, PTML chapter chairman of ANLCA, Prince Bola Adeniran also complained that the Customs have been incapacitated for more than four days.
He said that rents and demurrage have already accumulated for agents and importers; this situation according to him, has been prevalent at the command.
"The money is charged progressively, each day the money is increasing and the agent bears the brunt because the importer will not give u this money"
"Once the federal government declares holiday, they don't need to charge us for it, before port concession, NPA does not do this, we have complained about this and nobody is answering us, they told us that we have to pay".
Adeniran however reiterated that ANLCA has taken up the issue with the ministry of finance where the bulk of the problems stems from.
"They are the once that rolled out the contract to a company that is now disappointing the whole Nigeria, they should take the contract from Web Fontaine and give to another company" he advised.
Apart from the frequent server failures, Shipping Position Daily also scooped that the ANLCA executives are set to pick holes in the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) of the Nigeria Customs Service.
ANLCA President, Prince Shittu says that it will make its position known soon at an enlarged executive meeting of the association scheduled for next week.
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