Follow Us on Google
Chinelo Obogo
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA), Lagos, has petitioned the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha, asking him to intervene in the current crisis it has with the management of the handling companies at the airport over decision to charge demurrage on cargo during the lockdown.
ANLCA is having issues with the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) and has asked Mustapha to intervene.
A statement by its secretary, Emmanuel Njoku, the Federal Government had given approval for clearance of essential materials and vaccines as regards the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said its members at the seaport did not pay demurrage during the period, and wondered why they would be compelled to pay such at the airport when the order for the lockdown was not from ANLCA.
The Nigerian Ports Authority had on March 28, 2020 directed all terminal operators at the seaport to suspend all applicable terminal storage fees on consignments (demurrage) for an initial period of twenty-one days effective March 23, 2020 in recognition of the pressure that the COVID-19 pandemic put on businesses.
ANLCA said the same measure should be extended to them as they also face the same situation but noted that when its members returned to work on May 4, 2020, NAHCO and SAHCO insisted that the agents must pay demurrage for shipments affected by the lockdown.
He said: “We operate an open market where the importers who use the seaport are still the same importers who use the airport cargo and these goods arrive at the same market as their final destination.
“The goods from the seaport never paid demurrage, while NAHCO Aviance Plc and SAHCO Plc want the goods from the airport cargo to pay demurrage within the same lock down regime.”
