Aniebonam: Terminal Operators Deserve Increase in Charges, But Should Negotiate with Shippers’ Council
*Asks freight forwarders to remain calm
*Urges terminal operators to suspend increase, come to negotiating table
By Francis Ugwoke
The Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam on Thursday appealed to freight forwarders to remain calm in the face of the planned increase of charges by terminal operators.
Aniebonam who agreed that the terminal operators deserve increase in charges because of high cost of operations following the oil subsidy removal, however said they should come to the negotiating table with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
He urged the ports economic regulator (NSC) to urgently call for an emergency meeting where negotiation for the increase will begin.
The NAGAFF founder in a statement said:
“The truth of the matter is straight forward and unambiguous for us to understand that their operational cost have increased thereafter the removal of oil subsidy. Therefore the urgent need for them to break even as business enterprises cannot be over-emphasised.
“What shall be most appropriate at the moment is for the Nigeria shippers Council to call for an emergency meeting of the stakeholders and the terminal operators to seat and work out a competitive price increase that is reasonable and affordable”.
However, Aniebonam added that in the interim, there is urgent need to stop the arbitrary increase.
According to him, this was the only way to avert what he described as “the looming unrest in the customs ports by the freight forwarders”.
He called on the freight forwarders to exercise restraint and cooperate with the government authority to broker peace over the issue at the ports.
He argued that it was “very important that terminal operators should always seek for approval of increase on charges from the appropriate authority in the transportation ministry and due consultation with the stakeholders”.
He added, “dialogue, consultation and communication are the ways going forward in conflict resolution other violence.
“We share their difficulties like any other in Nigeria. On the sideline the comptroller General of customs is being called upon to ensure that appropriate customs duty assessment on imported goods follow standard operating condition. At the moment it seems that imports into Nigeria are being over valued for customs purposes.
“The quest to meet revenue target may be the remote cause other than the pursuit for trade facilitation and compliance to import and export regulations. It is my hope that with the lifting of ban on the 43 items that the compliance level shall increase in making declaration for customs purposes”.
Aniebonam regretted the rivalry between his association and the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on the issue, adding that there was the need to see reasons to close ranks and work together for the common good of the greater numbers of freight forwarding practitioners.
*Urges terminal operators to suspend increase, come to negotiating table
By Francis Ugwoke
The Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam on Thursday appealed to freight forwarders to remain calm in the face of the planned increase of charges by terminal operators.
Aniebonam who agreed that the terminal operators deserve increase in charges because of high cost of operations following the oil subsidy removal, however said they should come to the negotiating table with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
He urged the ports economic regulator (NSC) to urgently call for an emergency meeting where negotiation for the increase will begin.
The NAGAFF founder in a statement said:
“The truth of the matter is straight forward and unambiguous for us to understand that their operational cost have increased thereafter the removal of oil subsidy. Therefore the urgent need for them to break even as business enterprises cannot be over-emphasised.
“What shall be most appropriate at the moment is for the Nigeria shippers Council to call for an emergency meeting of the stakeholders and the terminal operators to seat and work out a competitive price increase that is reasonable and affordable”.
However, Aniebonam added that in the interim, there is urgent need to stop the arbitrary increase.
According to him, this was the only way to avert what he described as “the looming unrest in the customs ports by the freight forwarders”.
He called on the freight forwarders to exercise restraint and cooperate with the government authority to broker peace over the issue at the ports.
He argued that it was “very important that terminal operators should always seek for approval of increase on charges from the appropriate authority in the transportation ministry and due consultation with the stakeholders”.
He added, “dialogue, consultation and communication are the ways going forward in conflict resolution other violence.
“We share their difficulties like any other in Nigeria. On the sideline the comptroller General of customs is being called upon to ensure that appropriate customs duty assessment on imported goods follow standard operating condition. At the moment it seems that imports into Nigeria are being over valued for customs purposes.
“The quest to meet revenue target may be the remote cause other than the pursuit for trade facilitation and compliance to import and export regulations. It is my hope that with the lifting of ban on the 43 items that the compliance level shall increase in making declaration for customs purposes”.
Aniebonam regretted the rivalry between his association and the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on the issue, adding that there was the need to see reasons to close ranks and work together for the common good of the greater numbers of freight forwarding practitioners.
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