…As Customs to deploy scanners in ports over 2019 elections***
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, has ordered shipping companies to vacate the off-dock terminal charge of N70,000 per container which they introduced about a month ago.
Maritime Speaking to Vanguard in Lagos, Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr. Hassan Bello, said that the agency has met with one of the shipping companies, Mediterranean Shipping Company, MSC, to return to status quo. Bello said that the terminal charge was never discussed, neither was it approved by the Council.
Reacting to the development, Clarion Shipping Company Limited, operator of Clarion Bonded Terminal, a vehicle terminal in Lagos, has charged it’s importers to stop using MSC Shipping Company to freight their cargoes following the introduction of the off- dock terminal charge.
General Manager of the shipping company, Mr. Frank Okocha, stated: “Even if they know you are carrying your cargo tomorrow, they would still rate two weeks ahead, they said they are doing this because people no longer return their containers on time and they said the money is refundable, this is why people have been paying. “They collect more than N70,000 if you pick a cargo from the port today, you must pay two weeks in advance, when you return the container, they would now calculate it along your container deposit, this is illegal because this is why we have the container deposit in the first place.
“We are going to start de-marketing them, importers should boycott MSC, by the time their traffic begins to fall, and they would begin to ask why. As I speak with you now, I have made sure that the news is all over Europe, in Canada and America that they should boycott MSC because they are introducing funny charges.”
In the meantime, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has approved the deployment of scanners in the nation’s seaports to check the influx of dangerous items into the country ahead of the 2019 general elections, it was learnt.
Speaking with The Nation, its Area Controller, Tin Can Command Mr Musa Baba Abdullahi said the Service has concluded arrangement to deploy the scanners in boosting 100 per cent cargo clearance at ports.
He assured that the scanners would check importation of dangerous cargoes. “With regards to the 2019 elections, the Service is trying to commission the scanners. Some of them are not there now, but the Service is working seriously to ensure that the scanners are put in place.
“As soon as the scanners are put in place, we are sure of 100 per cent cargo examination through the scanners. At least, we would be sure of what is coming, compared to the physical examination that is there now, sometimes, human element can come in, sometimes you might forget certain things, which might end up being a serious issue,”he said.
On the involvement of foreigners in cargo clearance at the seaports, Musa said foreigners had taken over the clearing and forwarding jobs because most Nigerians are bad managers.
He called for a law that would spell it out that certain jobs must be reserved for Nigerians, especially areas where we have the capacity and comparative advantage.
“Our people prefer foreigners than Nigerians. We need to ask ourselves why it is so; many of the bike riders are from Chad, Niger etc, while those doing tilling of houses are from Togo and Cotonou.
“Nigerians have to change our attitude to work. Sincerely, we are not good managers. You can carry out an independent analysis of certain sectors; take note of the businesses, we work more, if we are controlled by foreigners.
“For instance, if you give Nigerian companies, they run it aground. But if you bring in an expatriate from outside, they work hard for every seven days, you would find a Nigerian being engaged unofficially in some family issues and extended family issues. But for the expatriates, who is in the country for the job, he would forget about those mundane things and focus on his job for 30 days,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme border, Mohammed Aliyu has reclaimed the command’s land encroached upon by some individuals.
Findings revealed that the command is ensuring that illegal structures are demolished and those with approval will update their status by routing their request to the Comptroller-General of Customs through the Customs Area Controller.
Vanguard with additional report from The Nation