A shipping agent, CMA-CGM, recently slammed a N38,000 additional charges per 20ft container on importers, labelling the new charges Ports Additions Destination levy.
Speaking to Nigerian Tribune exclusively, a clearing agent who was at the recent meeting convened on the matter by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), stated that agents have been asked to sheath their swords as there is a ministerial directive on the issue.
According to the agent who declined to have his name in print as he said he was not authorised to reveal the details of the ministerial directive on the issue, “The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Hassan Bello called me to ask me to sheath my sword on the impeding showdown we agents wanted to drag the shipping companies into over the arbitrary introduction of the Ports Additions Destination charges.
“He told me that the minister has issued a ministerial directive on the matter and that there is going to be a meeting of all concerned with the minister this Thursday.”
It will be recalled that clearing agents had asked all importers to discontinue all shipment of their cargoes/containers through CMA-CGM and any other shipping agents that has added the new charges to its bill.
According to a statement signed by the spokesman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Kayode Farinto, the action of CMA-CGM is threatening to drag the Nigerian maritime industry backward following efforts by government to entrench Ease-Of-Doing-Business principles at the ports.
“The recent charges slammed on Nigerian importers by CMA-CGM is viewed as an act of neo-colonialism by licensed customs agents. Just when the Federal Government rolled out the second phase of action plan on Ease Of Doing Business, to ameliorate the sufferings of the citizenry, CMA-CGM, a shipping agent decided to extort Nigerians and move us backward by slamming N38,000 per 20footer equivalent (TEU) as Ports Additional Destination charges.
“We see this as an act tantamount to challenging the collective sensibility of Nigerians. This is absurd and wickedness in its entirety.
“Furthermore, we frown at the Honourable Minister of Transportation towing the way of Emperor Nero by fiddling and pretending that all is well when Rome was burning. It is unfortunate that the government is fiddling when the maritime industry is being hijacked.
“In view of this, we advise all Nigerian importers to discontinue all shipping of their cargoes/container’s through CMA-CGM and any other shipping agent that tow this line. Your continued patronage is empowering this neo-colonialist at the expense of our collective economy,” ANLCA had stated.
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