The T-PACI president, Mr. Stephen Ibe.
Story by Dili Utomi.
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The calls for the review of the 2006 concession agreement between the Federal Government and the Terminal Operators are growing louder by the day as more individuals and stakeholders in the Maritime Sector are joining the calls.
The Patriot Anti-corruption Initiative (T-PACI) is an advocacy group that fights for proper compliance with the relevant laws guiding all operations within the Maritime Industry and they called a press conference to highlight certain key issues that affect the industry particular the logistics aspect of the industry. The president of the group, Comrade Stephen Chigozie Ibe while reeling out their stand on the actions of the Terminal Operators in suddenly increasing terminal charges said that “the port concessionaires should not increase the port operation charges, but before any such increment is effected, there ought to be due consultations with all relevant stakeholders, particularly the importers. Also the issue of storage charges/rent should be a no go area owing to the fact that there is no reason for any increse whatsoever”.
“The concessionaires should have been mindful of the Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U) it signed with the NPA which they have not yet fulfilled. Obviously, looking at their activities, I still maintain that it is all corrupt acts and
practices as for instance, they have no operational equipment to run our Ports and make them very functional”.
He noted that at the Tin Can Island Port Terminal (TCIT) and the AP Moller Terminal have bouncers at their gates for the purpose of intimidation and that they always make it extremely impossible for you to clear your cargoes within the three days grace period as they will certainly always ask that you come back in five days period thereby making you to pay incurred demurrage for the extra days. The T-PACI also accused these terminal operators of colluding with the various government agencies to block cargoes as means of extorting money from importers as they decry other illegal activities being perpetrated by the Terminal Operators.
In a question and answer session, the public relations officer of the group, Humphrey Okwuosah noted that they have written on several occasions to the economic regulator of the Ports, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), but that not much has come out of their correspondence. The president of the group also added that these same Terminal Operators are in Benin Rebuplic and giving good quality service without the constant increase in charges, but have elected to exploit Nigerians here.
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