CRISIS LOOMS IF TERMINAL OPERATORS REJECT CLEARING AGENTS’ WAIVER DEMAND

TAYO Oladipupo |

Another crisis is looming in Lagos seaports as terminal operators may not grant clearing agents’ prayers for waivers over the demurrage accrued over the period truck drivers embarked on withdrawal of service.

Recall that truck drivers had embarked on the strike action for four days on the allegations of maltreatment and extortion by security agencies controlling traffic on the port access roads which was suspended Thursday after intervention by heads of some government agencies in the maritime sector.

Some of their grievances also included injustices and illegal charges by shipping companies and terminal operators.

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and other stakeholders jointly appealed to the aggrieved truck drivers to shelve the strike as they promised to intervene to address the issues raised.

Meanwhile, clearing agents and freight forwarders have been calling for waivers for the number of days the strike lasted.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Joseph Sanni has informed members of the association to wait on the actions of the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council on Monday before any action would be taken.

He said, “Coming out from the meeting from shippers’ council is that the chief executive will be going out on Monday to the terminals and shipping companies to tell them why they have to waive and refund if they collected any during the strike.

“My professional colleagues, you may wish to pay and collect refund or wait until Monday. We are forcing the boss NSC because the operators didn’t waive anything for the strike period.

Meanwhile, as the strike lasted, demurrage had accumulated over the cargoes in the port that were unable to go out due to lack of movement of trucks in and out of the terminals.

As a result, clearing agents and their principals have called for waivers for the number of days the strike lasted but their demands may not be met as terminal operators claimed they were not responsible for the cause of the strike.

In a chat with the Corporate Affairs Manager of AP Moller Terminal (APMT), Austine Fischer, he said, “Is the government giving us waivers?” he asked sarcastically.

Fischer said such decisions are business decisions that required discussion and agreement between the importers, their agents and the management of terminal operators.

He added that as long as the terminal operators were not the cause of the strike, it was not a compulsion on them to give waivers.

“We are not the cause of their strike, why would they want us to give waivers?” he queried.

In the same vein, SIFAX Group, owners of Ports and Cargo terminal maintained that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) would not listen to the excuse of truck drivers’ strike when demanding for their dues from the company.

Muyiwa Akande, Corporate Affairs Manager of the conglomerate told our Correspondent on phone that the terminal would charge normal fees.

“When we will be paying our dues to NPA, would NPA listen to us that truck drivers went on strike?” he also queried.

He however quipped that the company might give consideration where necessary if there are calls for it from the stakeholders, even as he said that the company had been considerate in its charges on normal days.