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By Steve Agbota
Customs agents under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at Onne Port, Rivers State, have threatened to disrupt port operations if their revenue is not integrated into the port’s call-up charges.
In a statement issued by Titus Eze titled: “The Brink: Onne Freight Forwarders, Transporters Threaten Shutdown Over Road, E-Call-Up Crisis,” at the weekend, the group warned that unless urgent measures are taken to rehabilitate the deteriorating roads, commercial activities along the Onne Port corridor could grind to a halt.
The group further alleged that freight forwarders and importers are losing millions of naira as trucks conveying valuable consignments reportedly fall or are involved in accidents along the corridor.
However, sources close to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Onne told Daily Sun that the agitation may be driven largely by the desire of the freight forwarding associations and the Maritime Transport Union, Onne units, to generate revenue through the E-Call-Up system by issuing tickets to truck operators.
The sources alleged that the stakeholders, as part of their coalition, were seeking to have their revenue integrated into the E-Call-Up system, a move that would enable them to collect fees for the process.
Part of the statement reads: “The crisis engulfing the Onne Port corridor appears to be deepening, as freight forwarding associations and maritime transport operators have raised the alarm over what they describe as the deplorable condition of the port access roads, prolonged failure of the Electronic Call-Up System (E-Call-Up), indiscriminate truck parking and mounting losses suffered by freight forwarders, importers and transport operators.
“For years, the Onne port corridor has served as a critical artery for the movement of cargo into and out of the Eastern maritime economy. But stakeholders say the deteriorating state of the road has transformed what should be a vital logistics corridor into a daily ordeal for truckers, freight forwarders, importers and residents.
“Freight forwarders and importers, it said, are losing millions of naira as trucks carrying valuable consignments reportedly fall or become involved in accidents along the corridor.
“For businesses operating on tight delivery schedules, every additional day spent waiting on the road translates into additional costs, demurrage, vehicle maintenance, and loss of business and, in some cases, damaged cargo.
“At the heart of the stakeholders’ anger is the Electronic Call-Up System. The coalition alleged that the system has been unable to effectively fulfil its obligations for more than six months, despite the continued collection of substantial sums from truck operators.”
Stakeholders questioned why truckers should continue to pay for a system that, in their assessment, has failed to provide the infrastructure and operational facilities necessary to make the scheme work.
They particularly criticised the absence of adequate truck holding or parking facilities, arguing that collecting millions of naira from operators without providing the corresponding infrastructure amounts to placing the financial burden of port inefficiency on the users.
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It was further gathered that N18,000 is currently being paid as a fee by each truck operating at the port, a development that has reportedly unsettled some stakeholders.
A breakdown of the charges showed that each truck would pay N2,000 at the first roundabout and another N2,000 at the second roundabout. The community levy is pegged at N4,000, while N2,000 would be paid as a local government fee.
Other charges include N2,000 for the Nigeria Police, N7,725 for the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Park, N5,000 for the Maritime Workers Union ticket, N1,000 for the NPA safety ticket, and another N1,000 for the agents’ association.
Sources close to the port also said there are truck parks around the One Port, but truckers would rather park on the road than go to parks to be scheduled to access the port.
Reacting to the development, Chinedu Obiano, Executive Secretary, Maritime Right to Life Initiative (MRTL), said some of these stakeholders collect monies from truckers without rendering services.
Obiano also said that, for example, the Maritime Workers Union collects N10,000 per truck for a purpose yet to be ascertained.
“The monies collected by the One Community and Local Government, are not tied to any service. Even the associations also collect, to what end are these collections?” he queried
He also explained that there are truck parks around the Onne port, but truckers would rather hang around the roads, get harassed by community people who collect as much as N4,000 per truck because they refuse to make use of the parks.
According to the advocacy group, ANCLA also collects 2k for services not rendered, adding that anyone who has a truck that is worth 40 million and cannot get a place to park it.
It also advised that truckers should make arrangements with existing parks outside the port economic corridor to park.
Obiano also said truck parks have been provided by the Electronic Call-Up System management, where trucks are scheduled to wait before accessing the ports. However, he noted that many truckers have refused to make use of the designated parks.
He explained that the greed of the leadership of some freight forwarding groups and transport unions was driven by the funds they collect from truckers without providing any corresponding services.
