5000 containers abandoned in the ports - Freight Forwarders Group

By David Oladimeji |

About 5000 containers have been abandoned at the Apapa port by importers because they could not afford to pay demurrage accrued as a result delay in evacuating their cargoes.

Besides, the cost of freighting a one by 20 container from Apapa port to Ladipo Market in Mushin Lagos is now N500, 000, a situation which has put tremendous pressure on the importers and the agents and hindering trade facilitation.

Director of Information of the National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents, Mr. Raph Agbogu, who made this claim in Lagos yesterday, said that the Apapa gridlock has made business transaction in the area a nightmare.

He said the transport logistic chain must be reviewed by the Federal Government through the Nigeria Shippers council to ensure ease of doing business at the nations ports.

Agbogu said importers prefer Lagos ports because most of the patronage and consumers of their products are based there.