Manufacturers Raise Fresh Alarm Over High port charges at Nation’s Seaports

Manufacturers and other industry operators in the country have cried out over high cost of clearing cargoes at Nigerian seaports, describing it as a cankerworm that has forced so many companies into extinction.

The stakeholders, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACIMMA), Association Of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANCLA) and National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), among others who gathered at a maritime industry summit in Lagos, bemoaned the effects of high port charges on the survival of their businesses.

President, MAN, Frank Jacobs, said port charges are major source of worry for the manufacturers and it has contributed to high cost of production. Jacobs therefore, called for reasonable port charges.

Jacobs, who was represented by Niran Olajobi, bemoaned the deplorable condition of ports access roads and the gridlock, which contributed to the charges, urging government to immediately fix the roads.

President, NACIMMA, Mrs Alaba Lawson, commended the Federal Government on the initiatives of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) for its action plan aimed at creating enabling environment and easy movement of goods across borders and called for full implementation of the action plan.

Speaking on the theme: “Port Charges: How Plausible?” she said: “Delay in clearance of cargoes at Nigerian ports still despite PEBEC’s intervention which is a far cry from what is practicable in other African ports such as Ghana and Benin republic. The ports have a low level automation, data base and integrated process system. We urge government to put in place more effective strategies to improve the overall efficiency at the ports and reduce the cost of doing business at ports to make Nigerian ports a hub for international freights and trade,”

Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, assured that, NPA was working hard to create a level playing ground for all operators, urging stakeholders that all hands must be on deck to improve port efficiency and competitiveness.

Speaking through NPA Manager Audit, Bala Usman said:

“We have been working hard to ensure operational efficiency and effectiveness at the ports. It is not only the port charges that is so depressive, it is the entire system, the infrastructure, the roads, the insurance, among others are culminating to the higher cost. I think the onus lies on all of us. Its our responsibility, we should go to any length to ensure that we all benefit from the industry. We at NPA are working relentlessly to ensure that it is a win-win situation for all stakeholders,”

He urged the media to support reforms in the industry and celebrate the innovations just as they decried the challenges.

Vice President of ANCLA, Kayode Farinto, said the high cost at the seaports was ridiculous, very high and was killing the industry.

“In fact, we should commend the importers that are still bringing their cargoes through our ports. They deserve an award,”

he said.

He called the NPA to facilitate the review of the concession agreement in order to tackle the issue of arbitrary increase of prices by terminal operators, due to foreign exchange and other bottlenecks.

Farinto said, while Nigerian charges are going up, the neighbouring countries are busy reducing their charges, hence the loss of cargoes to those ports.

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, said there should be commensurable service to the costs and anything less was unacceptable.

Bello, who was represented by Ignatius Nweke, pledged that the NSC would continue to do its best to make Nigerian ports efficient, effective and attractive.