By Godfrey Bivbere

In anticipation of new import policy by the federal government, importers and their agents have been making frantic efforts to clear their consignments from the nation’s ports to avoid being trapped.

A fully loaded truck in one of the inland dry ports

Vanguard’s investigation showed that many importers have been putting pressure on their agents to ensure that they take delivery of their goods.

Uchu Block, Deputy National President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, who confirmed this development to Vanguard, said that they are making effort to ensure that his clients’ consignments get out of the port before the new policy is announced by the government because no one is sure of want will happen after the 31st of December.

Block explained that government usually brings out new import policy at the beginning of every New Year and these policies tend to determine the direction of the import/export business.

Activities at the ports since last week showed that there was rush by agents to ensure that they clear their containers before the 31st of December. The rush started some weeks ago when many Christmas goods were cleared for the season.

Those who still have their goods in the ports  were involved in last minute efforts to get them out before the end of the holiday period. At Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports, freight forwarders who had issues on their containers, including Debit Notes (DNs) for so reasons were eager to settle the matter as fast as possible to ensure that they not stay in the ports longer than necessary.

Another agent who spoke with Vanguard, Dele Adebayo, said that he had to stay back in Lagos instead of traveling with his family to his village in Ekiti for the holidays. Adebayo explained that he had to shuttle between Lagos and Ekiti especially during days when the ports are not open.

He noted that out of 10 containers of his client, he was able to clear seven and it is taking almost forever to get the remaining three containers at Tin-can Island port due to alleged under-payment.

As at the time of filing this report, the agent was making frantic efforts to get the goods out port as soon as possible.