ANLCA Accuses Shipping Companies Over Alleged Sabotage On Kaduna Dry Port Operations

By Roland Ekama, Lagos

 

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), on Monday,accused shipping companies operating in the country of frustrating the optimal performance of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port (KIDP) .

 

The National President of the Association, Tony Iju Nwabunike who disclosed this during a roundtable meeting with members of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON),held in Lagos, called on the Nigerian Shippers’  Council to engage both the carriers and truckers on charges.

 

According to the ANLCA boss , the dry port has not lived up to expectations following shipping lines conspiracy in frustrating trade facilitation to the facility.

 

Nwabunike who also doubles as a director to the KIDP parent company; Inland Container Nigeria Limited (ICNL),further lamented that the present state  of the port can be described as a trial period adding that traffic of throughput to facility was low.

 

He said : “Just for one reason we all know its a full fledged port, a port of final destination of goods coming into the country or going out for export.

 

“Now Nigeria is not doing enough export so we have not being able to get enough patronage as expected ,then for import which is suppose to attract patronage is not forthcoming because shipping companies are not giving the importers the true bill lading of their consignment.

 

The ANLCA frontman maintained that a 20 foot container from China to Nigeria cost as high as $ 3,600 on freight charges but added  that shipping lines could not ascertain land charges from Lagos to Kaduna.

 

He noted that shipping companies responsible to ensure that the consignments get to the final destination ,  which in turn has led the liners sabotaging the dry port growth.

 

He reiterated that the carriers are equally frustrating the truckers for them to charge the shipper on transport cost of the goods.

 

“They suppose to charge the importers from the source and when you look at the whole issues on ground  you find out that its a good argument.

 

On the way forward, Nwabunike called on the Nigerian Shippers ‘ Council to enter into agreement with  logistics service providers in furtherance to encouraged trade facilitation.

 

He noted that both the council and transport groups should come up with a blue print with the sole aim to fix transport cost to a particular destination of goods.

 

” I believe strongly that Nigerian Shipper’s Council through our friend Hassan Bello will streamline this business for it to flourish and get the deserved patronage.

 

The President also frowned at the dearth of wagons and locomotives that would have assist in the movement of cargoes to and fro the facility.

 

He affirmed that : ” Supposing the dry port for example belong to Maersk Line. Do you know that consignments will be moving freely to the port without hitches. And that will tell you that it is sabotage.

 

“Don’t forget also that in Kano , Maersk Line has a bonded terminal that is APM Terminal and they will not charge you until your consignment gets to the terminal.

 

 

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari  commissioned the Inland Dry Port in Kakuri, Kaduna, on January 4.

 

The project is expected to generate over 5,000 direct employments at the commencement of operations.