The
position of the stakeholders was made known in Lagos Wednesday at a meeting of
stakeholders called by the NSC. They noted that the new charges if allowed
could cripple the productive sector of the nation’s economy.
In
his opening remark, the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Hassan Bello, said that
effect of the new charges is better imaged and that is why it is in the fore
front of the efforts to upturn what he called the “Arbitrary Charges.”
Bello
noted that the new charge is a recipe for job, revenue, business losses that
will negatively affect the economy.
He
described the charges as “astronomical, unfair, not made known to stakeholders
and not negotiated. We are therefore vehemently opposing it and we have written
to them,” we are expecting their feedback in the next few days.
“We
therefore call for the immediate withdrawal of the charge, it is not
acceptable.”
He
charged the stakeholders not to stop at verbal support but should also write to
their global bodies to make their opposition to the charge known.
Among
the stakeholders present at the meeting were the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA,
the Dangote Group, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Nigerian
Chamber of Commerce and Industries, NACCIMA, Lagos State Chamber of Commerce
and Industries, LCCI, Promasidor Nigeria, the Association of Nigeria Licensed
Customs Agents, ANLCA, National Association of Government Approved Freight
Forwarders, NAGAFF, and many more.
Managing
Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, who was represented by a General Manager,
Abubakar Umar expressed satisfaction that the Council had written to the
shipping line over the new charges.
Umar
noted that the charges will result in the loss of revenue by NPA, as importers
maybe forced to abandon their consignments.
The
Shippers Association of Lagos State, SALS, Jonathan Nicol, called on the
private sector to rally round the NSC to resist the imposition of the new
charge.
Representatives
of MAN, Olufemi Emmanuel said the fight should have started earlier as most
companies have reduced their staff straight. He said that the executive of the
body was meeting to official take a stand of the issue.
All
the other groups also stressed the need for the charge to be stopped as it is
already taking its toll on their operation. This is even as the commended for
being proactive in their effort in protecting the interest of shippers in the
country.
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