Current face-off between Duncan Maritime Services, operators of Duncan Bonded Terminal and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has assumed fresh dimensions following last week’s confirmation that bonded terminal operators has sued NPA for illegal occupation of its facilities at Tin Can Island port, Lagos.
Confirming the development which was the aftermath of NPA alleged occupation of the facilities earlier last week, managing director, Duncan Maritime Services, Dr. Godfrey Shitgurum disclosed that the illegal occupation has been on for about 14 days and that his company had already lost about N1.8 billion.
He wondered why the management of the NPA would order the port police command to go and chase out its workers and other government security agencies working at the terminal and allowing hoodlums to take over the place, even as he confirmed that his company has already sought reprieve from the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Giving an insight into the effect of the closure on the company’s business, he said that the closure of the terminal for many days has prevented it from not only meeting is obligations to the customers but also deprived the ship that would have stemmed at the terminal from doing so.
He pointed out that the all importers and their agents who stemmed their cargoes at the terminal were unable to clear their goods and such cargo owners would be forced to pay demurrage of their cargo for a fault that is not theirs.
The Duncan boss went down the memory lane and disclosed that NPA and Duncan had an agreement over the property but alleged that NPA had in 2005, under Chief Adebayo Sarumi wanted to handover the property to another company which he identified as Landwood Nigeria Limited, but added that his firm had gone to court to challenge the action of NPA on the matter.
Shipping Position Weekly recalls that policemen attached to the Port Authority Police Command had mid last week stormed the controversial premises and prevented people from entering the premises even as they cashed out all those who were already within.
One of the Policemen confirmed that they were under instruction to maintain peace at the terminal, but no business transactions were allowed to take place.
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