INVESTIGATIONS have revealed that the ongoing strike by clearing agents at the nation’s ports over the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation system introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service (which is expected to enter its second week this week), will have dire consequences for trapped imported vehicles as many of the vehicles are already accumulating huge demurrages and port storage charges in millions.
This has, thereby, increased the cost of clearing them by the time the strike is eventually called off.
This is even as the Association of Motor Dealers Of Nigeria (AMDON) has warned that whatever charges that accumulate on all trapped vehicles since last Monday when the protest began will be paid for by Nigerians during vehicle purchases.
According to findings by the Nigerian Tribune, despite last-minute efforts by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) to persuade the protesting clearing agents to call off the strike at the weekend, the agents vowed to continue the strike this week, promising to focus only on Roll-On Roll-Off cargoes and leave general cargoes out of the protest.
According to a port official who attended the meeting with the port economic regulator at the weekend, “the NSC asked clearing agents to call off the strike but the resolution at the end of the day was to shift focus from general cargoes.
“The agents agreed with the NSC that the strike action will now focus on imported vehicles, which is the issue causing disagreement between the clearing agents and Customs. They (agents) agreed to allow the clearance of general cargoes this week.
“However, if the agents continue with the strike on imported vehicles in protest against the VIN introduced by Customs, they shouldn’t forget that these vehicles are already accumulating charges in form of demurrages and storage charges. These vehicles were left inside the ports for a whole week without any being cleared out; is the port a warehouse?
“We hope the strike does not continue this week because that will reduce the amount of demurrages and storage charges that have already piled up on these imported vehicles.”
Also speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Chairman of PTML Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr Oluwole Obe explained that the strike action may continue on Monday and will only be against imported vehicles.
In the words of the ANLCA Chieftain, “The Shippers Council appealed to us to shelve the strike at the weekend. When we meet tomorrow today, we will decide if we are shelving the strike totally or partially. If the strike continues partially, then it means we will only clear general cargoes and leave imported vehicles in the ports.”
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