Management of the Tin-can Island Container Terminal, TCIT and agents are trading blames as to the reason for the present congestion being witnessed at the scanning site at Tin-can Island port.
Why the TCIT management is accusing the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA for the congestion at that port, agents under the aegis of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA have put the blame at the door step of TCIT.
Management of the Tin-can Island Container Terminal, TCIT and agents are trading blames as to the reason for the present congestion being witnessed at the scanning site at Tin-can Island port.
Why the TCIT management is accusing the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA for the congestion at that port, agents under the aegis of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA have put the blame at the door step of TCIT.
Ludovi Johan, Operations Managing of TCIT, said that the problem of congestion during and after scanning of containers at the terminal is not theirs but that of the NPA.
Johan noted that the scanning space is outside his company's jurisdiction but however noted however noted that there is no problem with scanning at the terminal as about a 100 containers are being scanned daily.
On whether there is the possibility of working together with the NPA and Cotecna to clear the congestion from the area, Johan said is it not their responsibility, even when Vanguard suggested that a smoother scanning operation will better his company's overall transcations.
However, National Secretary of NCMDLCA, Uchu Block has frowned at the delay that importers and their agents had to face in the cause of clearing their consignments from the port after scanning. Block noted explained that when a container is loaded at about 9 – 10 am for scanning which takes about three to five minutes, it spend some two to three days, costing the importer and his agent additional expenses for the payment for truck hiring.
He pointed out that transporter usually charge more especially at Tin-can port because of the delay. As a result of the general traffic in Apapa and the port access road, truck drivers now charge N80,000 to move a 40- foot container from Tin-can to Ijesha, he said.
The NCMDLCA scribe noted that with the delay of a day or two, the importer and his agent has to pay N160,000 or N240,000 as the case maybe. The further explained that the situation makes importers and their agents opt for re-routing of their consignments to off-dock terminals after paying the mandatory fee of N20,000.
A Cotecna staff at the scanning site at Tin-can Island Port who prefers to remain anonymous, explained that the problem is basically is lack of coordination between the various interest groups in the clearing system.
The source explained that while it takes less than six minutes to scan a container, there are times when truck laden with containers still stay at the scanning site up to two days after scanning. Several factors are responsible for this according to the source.
This conclude an agent going back to clear with the Customs should any discrepancy be discovered or going to the terminal operator for final release after scanning while the truck remains seated at the site during this period, therefore occupying space that would have been used by other consignees.
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