BY GODFREY BIVBERE

THE National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, has called on the relevant government agencies to sanction terminal operators for using the ports as storage for their empty containers.

National Secretary of the Council, Uchu Block, who spoke to Vanguard on the issue of congestion at the port, explained that lack of regulation of the activities of the terminal operators has led them to behave as if they are above the law.

Block noted that the same terminal operators who charge importers and their agents so much for leaving their containers longer than three working days after the arrival of the ship conveying the cargo, turn around to use the terminal  to store empty containers until  are ready for shipment out of the country.

He called on the relevant regulatory agency to mandate the terminal operators to ensure that every ship that berths at their terminal takes onboard empty containers to free the ports of the impending congestion.

He pointed out that in the past, accusing fingers have been pointed at Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, for the introduction of Pre-Arrival Assessment Report, PAAR, which is said to have failed,and importers and their agents who are said to be using the ports for storage of their consignments. Although he agreed that the action of the Customs PAAR and importers using the ports may be true, he averred that the action of the  terminal operators contributes more to the problem of congestion at the ports.