Port concessionaire; APM Terminals is currently embroiled in a case of misappropriation of a container worth over N40Million, even as freight forwarders operating at the port have lamented that the terminal operators have increased charges without notifying stakeholders.
Shipping Position Daily investigations revealed that two trucks that were scheduled to load containers from the APM Terminal were reportedly loaded with cargoes not meant for them.
According to a source who pleaded anonymity, one of the trucks was a 40-foot container loaded with motorcycle tires and tools worth about 40million, the consignments belong to one Chrisanyin Maritime Agency.
It was learnt that the owner of the cargo was still signing documents pertaining to them, but by the time he finished documentation, he realized his cargo had been released wrongly.
Shipping Position Daily gathered that, in order to ascertain if there are ulterior motives, the Enforcement Unit of the Nigeria Custom Service in Apapa command impounded the container and it is currently investigating the saga. Our source said that foul play was suspected.
Confirming the development, Public Relations Officer of the Apapa Customs, Mr. Emmanuel Ekpa said that the customs enforcement unit is currently investigating the case.
A source who was also shocked, told our correspondent that, "before APMT loads a truck, there is what is called interchange, this interchange has the truck number, the one they give you when you write your TDO, by the time you enter, it will change into a blue color, they must have cross-checked and certified it before giving you the blue one".
"This means that they are sure that the truck was meant for that TDO, but they went inside to load another truck with another TDO and interchange”, he explained further.
It was learnt that the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) is equally interested in the embarrassing development and is currently investigating the case.
However, speaking with our correspondent in his office last week on recent development at the terminal, the Apapa Chapter Chairman of NAGAFF, Mr. Fred Ajuzie said that the APMT had recently increased its terminal charges without due recourse to the stakeholders.
Ajuzie equally condemned the working environment at the APMT terminal saying that freight forwarders and customs are still passing through hell at the terminal.
Apparently not impressed with work on a new building being constructed, he lamented: "Before you finish that structure you are building, many people must have died, we are the owners of the land and they have come to collect money from us, we are the ones spending this money, but they are not giving us good services."
"They have increased their charges, any charge that is increased by one Naira is a lot of money, if they were making N100million before, they will be making N300million, and Shippers’ Council cannot say they are not aware of this" he said.http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/apmt-embroiled-alleged-n40million-container-scandal
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