Bonded terminal operators seek NASS assistance for survival

Bonded terminal operators are advocating for act of legislation to recognise bonded terminal as an extension of ports in Nigeria to remain in business.

This call was coming from the executive secretary of Bonded Terminal Operators of Nigeria, Mr Omojomolo recently in his office while fielding questions from journalists.

He revealed that the legislation was necessary to reduce unemployment and save their investment of about three trillion naira to make bonded terminals up and running.

He said, “there should be legislation enacted by legislators to recognise bonded terminals as extension of ports that whatever comes into the country, a certain percentage should automatically be assigned to bonded terminals because they have spent about three trillion naira and have employed many.

“In fact, each terminal employs up to 500 staff aside 10 thousand auxiliary workers,”

Worried about the dearth in bonded terminal operations, Omojomolo revealed that “In Lagos, we have about 20 bonded terminals and each of them have sacked 90% of their staff.

“If they were allowed to function very well, they would have taken care of the unemployment they are talking about because we actually did when we were fully in operation.

“Like today, no bonded terminal operates more than 3%, they operate below 3%.

“It is a sad thing because like now, most of the bonded terminal owners are like walking ghosts. Lack of cargoes has demoralized some of our members.

“Most of our members are indebted to the tune of trillions of naira and to pay back is problem even some of them have health challenges,”

Omojomolo, who doubles as the general manager Duncan Bonded Terminal, Apapa, said salaries of workers in his terminal are yet to be paid.

In his words, “this terminal you are seeing now, they are owing us over a year salary, in some other terminals, they have sacked about 95% of their staff. Some where they are supposed to have about 500 staff, they have only seven and the seven are just overseeing the property on ground so that people will not steal them,”