Clearing Agents Appeal To Lagos Govt., Say Okada Ban Affecting Cargo Clearance

Abiola Seun

Clearing agents operating at the Apapa and Tin-Can Island seaports have appealed to the governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, to rescind the ban placed on tricycle and motorcycle popularly known as Okada in Apapa.

Speaking to journalists, the agents under the aegis of Association of Concerned Freight Forwarders and Logistics (ACFFL) said the ban has affected port operations.

According to the chairman of the group, Andy Best Omenogor, since the sector contributes 30 percent to the state economy, through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), banning Okada operation in Apapa will have an adverse effect on the state revenue emanating from Apapa and Tin-Can Island port.

Omenogor argued that the state government should consider freight forwarders and how they will move around doing their businesses around the port since accessing the roads have been a nightmare because of the unending traffic.

“Government has taken this our business to be a caricature business. Lagos State government never realized that we the freight forwarders are producing at least 30% of their revenue, they didn’t appreciate that. If they had appreciated that, they would have exempted Apapa from the ban on commercial motorcycle.”

He however lamented that the ban on Okada and tricycles in Apapa will further compound the inability of the seaport to achieve 24-hour cargo clearance as clearing agents now trek long distances for transaction around the port.

Omenogor advised the state to adopt other strategies to checkmate the activities of commercial motorcyclists in the area instead of outright ban that has distorted the clearing process.

“You can strategise a way of doing that by making sure that all commercial motorcycles operating within Apapa are registered. You can go further by ensuring they have uniforms so that they can be controlled and not total ban.”

He also bemoaned revenue targets to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) saying it will fuel corruption in the system.

He said, “Have you ever seen in the world where the government gives tax collectors target? Giving Customs targets will encourage corruption because they will start giving unnecessary Debit Notes (DN).

“How can you give a revenue target instead of allowing them to work the way they have been working?,” he asked rhetorically.