COVID-19/Ports: Customs Agents Association Writes Buhari, Demands Total Waiver on Rent, Demurrage
Container depot
As the cororavirus pandemic continues to ravage Nigeria and the rest of the world leading to lockdown, customs agents have asked for total waiver on rent and demurrage on goods lying at the nation’s ports.
The National President of National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Agents (NCMDCA), Mr Lucky Amiwero in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari gave reasons why such waiver should be granted on goods that are currently at the ports.
In the letter, Amiwero gave three reasons, including the attitude of the banks in reopening for normal business, failure of shipping companies to open for release of goods and the fact that many customs agents find it difficult to go the seaports to clear their goods.
Part of the letter reads: “We hereby bring to the Notice of the Federal Government of the urgent need to waive the rents of Terminals and Shipping company demurrage charges on all shipping into Lagos Port as a result of the COVID 19 lock down that affect the banks, shipping companies and licensed Customs Agents(LCA), other port users and other government agencies”
“1.THE BANKS ARE NOT OPEN FOR NORMAL BANKING TRANSACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CLEARANCE OF GOODS
“The Banks are not opened for bank normal transaction, , which is the Core within the Licensed Customs Agents(LCA) Clearing chain, as clearance of goods start, with the Banks in the opening of form’m, processing of PAAR, collection shipping documentation and other monetary transfers transaction.
“Furthermore, the Banks facilitate payment of Import Duty, Terminal charges, Shipping company charges, Terminal Charges, Transporters Charges, NAFDAC, SON etc, , which cannot be performed as the banks are not open for the normal transactions till date.
“2.THE SHIPPING COMPANY ARE NOT OPEN FOR RELEASE
“The shipping companies are not opened for the release of goods, they are statutorily the Agent to the carrier or the carrier themselves, who by the provision of the contract of carriage by sea or air are to release the goods after ascertaining of the payment for freight from the port of shipment to port of destination and other local shipping charges payments, that is paid through the banks
“As stated, without the release of the goods from shipping company terminals cannot deliver the goods to the Licensed Customs Agents/Importer as the shipping company hold the cargo in trust until is release for delivery inline the contract of carriage.
“We appeal to the Federal Government to comply with the international convention by waiving the rent and demurrage of the days from the days Lagos state that starts their partial lock down which affect majority of Agents who cannot access, the port, banks other government agency” .
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) had provided buses to cover some routes to enable customs agents clear goods at the ports.
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