By Godfrey Bivbere

Federal Government has been called upon to fast track the establishment of a commercial regulator for port operations following the conclusion of the concession exercise.

The establishment of  a commercial regulator for  port operations will help to stop  private terminal operators from exploiting importers and their agents.

National Secretary of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Uchu Block, in an interview with Vanguard, said, whatever one does is emulated by others.

Block told Vanguard that private terminals have been ripping off importers and their agents through storage fees.

He said despite the complaints from ports users, government seem not to border about the situation. He disclosed that his principal recently shipped in 15 containers of rice which arrived the country on the 3rd of September, 2012 and duty payment was made on the 7th of the same month.

The NCMDLCA scribe said that payment for anticipated storage duration was made for 7th through 21st September (15 days), adding that an officer from his office went to the terminal before 1lam to book for examination on the 10th but was told they had closed for the day.

He further pointed out that on the 11th, the same officer went back there before 8am and was again told that they have closed for the day. Out of annoyance, Block said he went there himself and an Assistant Commercial Manager, told him that they only book 200 containers daily and anything above that figure will be handled the next day.

He siad that he demanded to see the most senior officer at their Point Road office but was directed instead to see the Finance Manager inside the port where he was kept waiting for over five hours unattended to.

Block who said although the containers were finally booked on the 12th, deductions were made daily from the anticipatory storage charges that they were forcefully made to pay earlier. Block said at N750 per day multiplied by 15 days, gives a total of Nl1, 250. He noted that should this amount be again multiplied by 15 containers, gives a total of N168, 750.

He explained that should the eight days be taken away from the 15 days, despite payment for days the containers stayed at the port from Saturday to Tuesday which is no fault of theirs; the same calculation of the seven remaining days would come to N78, 750.

The NCMDLCA scribe said it will take him and his client about two months to collect N78, 750.

Continuing, he explained that the terminal operators know that agents would always push for the return of the excess cash and there insist that the excess funds must be paid directly to the importer, even when payment is made on behalf of importers by their agents.

Meanwhile, an official of one of the terminals who spoke with Vanguard, said the 200 containers policy was as a result of lack of space, adding that they are working at expanding the existing space.

On why they are not transferring containers to off dock terminals to create the needed space, the APM terminal official told Vanguard that it is not their duty but that of the shipping companies to transfer containers.

Speaking to Vanguard on the issue, Bolaji Akinola, Media Consultant to APM Terminals, said the company will not allow agents to continue blackmailing terminal operators.

He said government is talking of 48 hours cargo clearance time and that the three days given by the terminal operator is enough for any serious importer or his agent to clear his consignment out of the port.