The National President of the National Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Mr. Tony Iju Nwabunike has blamed the shipping companies in the country for the low patronage of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port (KIDP).
Speaking during an interactive session with maritime journalist last week, the ANLCA boss said low patronage of the KIDP, is as a result of shipping companies that refused to give importers through bill of lading (TBL).
A through bill of lading is a legal document that allows for the transportation of goods both within domestic borders and through international shipment. The through bill of lading is often required for the export of goods, as it serves as a cargo receipt, a carriage contract, as well as the title (sometimes) for the products.
Nwabunike said the TBL, has remained a major source of problem as shipping companies has over time complained about logistics that would help move the consignment to the dry port.
He informed that many importers would love to have their goods moved to the dry port, so has to save them the stress of Apapa gridlock and other challenges at the Lagos Port.
“So you will ask why is TBL not given to importers. We have met some of them that said they prefer to use Kaduna instead of Lagos because of the gridlock, but the shipping lines are saying that they cannot charge land freight to Kaduna Dry Port, they are supposed to charge the importer offshore, so that when the cargo gets here, they will get it to Kaduna port, but the logistics now becomes a problem.
“The shipping lines do not have the capacity to get the consignment there because there is no locomotives and wagons from Nigerian Railway Corporation, so this has become the bane of the transportation system.
Nwabunike assured that the KIDP is already looking for a way out, by partnering logistics firms that can offer serious agreement with the shipping companies to provide them vehicles that will permanently provide logistics for the shipping companies for some period.
“But we are looking forward to seeing how we can partner with a very big logistics company where we can have a serious bilateral relationship and agreement with all the shipping companies so that they can provide them vehicles that would be on a permanent price for an agreed period”
Speaking further he noted that lack of sensitization about the inland dry ports has also affected the patronage of the port, he urged that more sensitization about the inland ports most especially in the northern part of the states should be carried out and encouraged.”
The ANLCA chief urged the Federal Government, through the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the people of Kaduna state and neighbouring states to make use of the Kaduna Port, as this would help decongest the Lagos Port.
“The Kaduna Dry Port is not about imports alone, but also export; this will lead to employment of youths and enhance trade, and so government should take advantage of this,” he said.
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