Shippers Council Moves to Reduce Haulage Rates, Meets Truck Owners
• COMTUA coordinator proposes larger meeting for uniform rate
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has frowned at the high rates charged by truck owners for movement of goods out of the ports.
To address this issue, the Council has held a meeting with the truck operators during which they were called upon to reduce their rates as necessary to decongest the ports under the current coronavirus pandemic.
The Executive Secretary of NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, during the meeting with the executive of the Council of Maritime Truck Union and Association (COMTUA) said such reduction should be seen as their own sacrifice to sustain Nigeria’s economy at such critical time of the ravaging pandemic.
Describing the current rate of moving cargoes out of the ports as very high, Bello said the country does not need such rates now.
He was of the view that whatever rate to be charged by the truck owners should be in line with what obtains in other parts of the world.
Bello was quoted saying, “We can’t continue to have price differentials at the whims and caprices of the owners. There must be some guidelines on freight rate just like we are doing with shipping companies, terminal operators and consolidators.
“Everyone must have a price regime and we are not fixing the price, we are leaving that to demand and supply but we said there must be some limit because shippers abroad everyday make enquiries but we are at a loss because there is no standard indicative rate. We want you to help us to have a standard rate so that there will be competition.
“We want you to look at the cost because everyone is making a sacrifice, the terminal operators, shipping companies have made sacrifice and we are looking at NPA and NIMASA so that they will reduce their cost during this time as their contributions to the Nigerian economy. Please don’t allow Nigerian economy to be at standstill and after the COVID-19, we don’t want it to be written that it is owners of trucks that let the nation down.
“We are stakeholders’ sensitive, we appeal to your patriotic sentiment to keep people in employment, operate at the port and let’s clear the cargoes. Right now, there are vessels lining up to come into the port to discharge but there is no space so, I know the usual strategy is taking empties and bring laden but we need to look at the need of the country and we need to make sacrifice.
“So, I appeal to you to look at the cost because we don’t need astronomical or unrealistic cost and these trucks must have easier access to come in and out of the port in a much organised manner to take already available cargoes.”
Coordinator of COMTUA, Mr Stephen Okafor who spoke during the meeting said there was the need to reduce the rate.
Okafor however said since there were many unions in the industry, there was the need to call for a larger meeting to come up with a uniform rate.
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