“Call Port Concessionaires to Order, Exploitation is on the Increase” -Olikutuyi Urges Federal Government
‘They see Nigeria as a market to make money but not a safe place to save the money made, they rather convert their gain to dollar immediately, export it to outside county without improving Nigeria economy, thus devaluing naira’– the Apapa Community President said
ZAINAB JUNAID
A Maritime Consultant and also President, Apapa Community, Prince Aderemi Olikutuyi has urged Federal Government to look into the outrageous conventional tariff charges and other violating act of Concessionaires at the Port which has pose adverse effect on importers in the Country.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Prince Olikutuyi who is also the Chief Executive Officer, ADLAD Group of companies, revealed that Port concessionaires infringed on agents and importers in many ways.
To him, Concessionaires violate agreement signed with the government before taking over the Ports. They affect smooth delivery of goods at the Port and also constitutes woes of the industry. They don’t have enough equipment to run the work.
“For instance, as a concessionaire, you have my goods in your custody and I’m paying you on a daily basis. There is a laid down procedure for me to get the goods out. Once I forward the procedure at the right time, you as a concessionaire is expected to release the consignment as at when due, instead you start giving excuses thus delaying my goods and yet you want me to pay for the delay caused by you as a Concessionaire which is charged based on the number of days the consignment stayed in the warehouse.
“This to me is exploitation. It reminded me of the NPA days when there is no Concessionaire, once you table your problems with NPA and you have proof, the demurrage will be waved but these Concessionaires will never want to listen. They just keep exploiting us on faults created by them,” he lamented.
He also condemned the incessant increase of Conventional Tariffs which is done in connivance of some associations around the industries and this hitherto leads to exploitation of the agents and importers.
Olikutuyi explained that the so called associations are expected to checkmate the Concessionaires activities as agreed by all Stakeholders but reverse is the case, they rather collect money from them and the Companies recoup their money by exploiting the agents.
Continuing, he debunked the woes created by these Concessionaires saying unnecessary fines given to agents is not justifiable when it was earlier agreed by all Stakeholders that work period is 24hrs, ‘so why the arbitrary fines, when they actually create problem for us,” he queried.
“If I want to do examination now, since I’m paying for the service, I expect them to position for me, instead it’s different excuses they put forward, which is not always genuine”.
“Another hiccup is Over time Cargo, they have refused to abide by the law. The law says once goods is overtime, it’s the duty of Customs and NPA to move the goods to government warehouse which does not concern concessionaire, this is to ensure other goods are not delayed but the Concessionaires will be dictating time to release goods and this affects agents in area of demurrage.
The Maritime Consultant concluded by seeking Federal Government intervention through Port Stakeholders dialogue, so that this salient issue can be addressed.
