‘Congestion looms at Lagos ports’

Our Reporter

Massive congestion is looming at Lagos ports because consignees and their agents are not taking delivery of their cargoes, the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), has said.

Its STOAN, Bolaji Akinola, said while it is gratifying that the seaports will be working to support the government’s effort at containing the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), there is the need to allow for full movement of cargo across the country, to ensure their operations are not hampered.

He said: “All terminals in Lagos are between 90 per cent – 95 per cent full. Most of the cargo is non-essential. If cargo doesn’t flow, within days, there will be no space in the terminals to discharge other cargo.

And some of the cargo awaiting to be discharged include food and medicine. We appeal to importers to pick up their cargo and not return empties for next two weeks in order to allow the prioritisation of imports coming in.

“If consignees do not remove their cargo in the next couple of days, the ports will become congested and it will be near impossible to discharge incoming vessels.”

Akinola said the multiplicity of government agencies at the ports and at the’ exit gates at the Tin Can and Apapa ports was compounding the “painfully slow delivery of cargo,” pointing out that these agencies’ operations at the ports was at variance “with the Federal Government’s policy on the Ease of Doing Business.

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‘’There are too many government agencies involved in the cargo release process, and after the cargo is released in the terminal, these government agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service conduct another round of checks at the port gate.

“The situation has resulted in long truck queues inside the ports because the rate at which trucks exit the main port gate is extremely slow due to these multiple checks,” he said.

Akinola said the challenge of slow cargo delivery was compounded at the Apapa Port due to the ongoing reconstruction of the exit gate.

He said keeping the ports operational continually is vital to our fight against the coronavirus disease. The ports cannot stop working.

The only way to ensure that the country does not run short of vital supplies, including food, medicaments, hand santisers and nose masks, which are essential kits in curtailing the spread of the deadly virus, is to keep the ports working.

This is why everyone involved in the cargo release process and the logistics chain must sacrifice personal interests at this time for the national good.

“We appeal to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retired), to prevail on his officials at the ports to reduce these checks. At present, cargoes are checked inside the terminal, at the port exit gate and on Wharf Road.

Three layers of checks by the same organisation is excessive. It is killing businesses and negatively affecting the ports. We think the exit gate should be made to allow for quicker movement of goods so as to reduce the blockade inside the port,” Akinola said.