Aftermath of #EndSARS Protests: APFFLON Commends Service Providers On Waiver Grants

…urges those that have not to follow suit

By Mcanthony Onuoha

Following the heated 12 days #Endsars Protests across the country and most parts of the globe by Young Nigerians, which prompted the imposition of curfew in some states, Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics in Nigeria (APFFLON), has applauded the decision of service providers in the maritime and aviation sectors to grant  waivers on demurrage and handling charges.

In a telephony interview with the Prestige Blended Magazine, the National President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, thanked Shipping Companies, Ground Handlers at the cargo Airports and Terminal Operators for being considerate, saying their decision has relieved importers of what would have amounted to heavy financial burden.

He urged those that have not considered waiver to follow suit so as to forestall any form of crises as the situation on ground has been supercharged, saying that any slightest aggravation could spark off crises. The association thanked those that have chosen the part of peace saying that they have done noble.

Recall that the peaceful protests by youths across the country was later marred by violence as hoodlums hijacked the exercise, looting and destroying lives and properties which compelled some states including Lagos to impose curfew so as to bring the uprising under control.

However, during the uprising, freight forwarders in the Maritime industry had joined in the protests to register their grouse especially against the activities of the Maritime Police which they said had become worrisome. Agents are accusing the Maritime Police of extortion and intimidation, saying they are conniving with shipping companies to perpetrate the dastardly act.

Meanwhile, APFFLON said it was aware of  the allegation being levelled against the  Maritime Police by freight forwarders that   the unit do go to shipping companies to obtain shipping manifests with which they place alert on almost all consignments on each shipment,and to evacuate the alert, the agent must be ready to part with a specific amount ranging from 50,000 to 200, 000 as the case maybe. APFFLON added that in what seems as the normal Nigerian setting, some of the alerts are placed on consignments even when the ships conveying them are yet to berth. The association disclosed that it is investigating the matter and that if at all it was confirmed to be true, it would not fail to put the issue on the front burner.

A Maritime Practitioner who pleaded anonymity decried the excesses of the unit saying that despite the fact that they are doing it for security reasons, the essence had since been compromised as it now serves as an avenue for extortion though APFFLON had said it was making an inquest on the allegation.

The protest by freight forwarders on Tincan Island Port last week which claimed three lives and saw scores injured was fueled by what they described as an unfriendly business environment occasioned by the excesses of the Maritime Police as well as the Joint Task Force stationed at strategic points along ports corridors, forcefully demanding varied amounts of money from truck drivers as well as opening containers on the roads for reexaminations. This, they said was the major reason the costs of transportation had continued to skyrocket, making things difficult for importers and their agents as well as end users.

However, the National President of APFFLON,Otunba Frank Ogunojemite in a private Media Chat, commended service providers, at both the Airports and Seaports for granting waivers on demurrage following the States governments imposed curfew, saying their decision was patriotic.

Meanwhile, APFFLON, has also called for total review of ports operations, if at all the Federal Government is committed to its policy on the Ease of Doing Business. The Maritime Advocacy Group condemned, in strong terms, the proliferation of offices and distasteful activities of the Customs Investigation Unit (CIU) and that of the Federal Operations Unit and Customs Strike Force, saying their activities have grossly impeded ports operations and made elusive the essence of  the Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business.

Furthermore, the Association questioned reasons for indiscriminate alerts being placed on consignments like the Compliance or CAC Alert, Valuation Alert, Customs Police Alert, Headquarters Alert, Enforcement Alert, Maritime Police Alert as well as SON Alert, describing them as outrageous, saying they not only serving as means of extortion but are major impediments to Ease of Doing Business .

Meanwhile, APFFLON has condemned, in strong terms, the attack on the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) Office Complex, Marina, by hoodlums following the recent nationwide #Endsars protests, describing it as unfortunate. The Association sympathised with the Management and Staff of NPA, blaming the nationwide destruction of lives as well as public and individual properties on what it described as leadership failure and urged the government to consider a new approach to leadership.