Activities Standstill At Lagos Ports As Presidential Elections Results Are Being Awaited

...As Banks Also Close Early

Last weekend’s Presidential and National Assembly elections result coupled with early closure of the banks in Apapa yesterday affected ports operations even as stakeholders have expressed worries over the economy implications.

A cross section of the operators who spoke to Shipping Position Daily in Lagos, accused banks for over actions which they said could lead to  revenue loss to the the federal government, even as they reiterated that there is no cause of panic over the presidential polls.

Investigations carried out by our correspondents revealed that the banks in Apapa and its environs, as well as  the Apapa customs command closed as early as 2pm because of the uncertainty surrounding announcement result of the presidential polls which held on Saturday and continued  in few places on Sunday.

A customs broker; Babatunde Shittu lamented that the banks forced some agencies of government like the Customs and Nigeria Ports Authority to close on time.

According to him, customs officers are unable to work because of the banks’ closure.

He said, "the banks closed around 2pm and I also understood that only few people came  to work today (Monday) because of the presidential elections"

"The instructions we got from the banks is that the order came from above"

"We believe that after the announcement of the elections everything will go back to normal", he said.

Shittu noted that there is low operations at the two ports and a large number of the operators did not turn up for work, he added that,  "also I understood that only few people came to work including maritime agencies of the government".

He added that the aftermath of presidential polls will have an impact on the economy of the nation negatively.

The customs broker affirmed optimism that the outcome of the presidential election will be favourable to the maritime industry.

On his part, a member of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); Comrade Stephen Ibe said that, "so many people are afraid to come out because the stakes are too high".

He said that most of the operators from the public and private sectors are afraid to come out; which in turn lead to low turn out of persons resulting to low ports operations.

The former Apapa chairman of NAGAFF said that there is anxiety everywhere and the banks are not exempted from it"

"There is nothing that we can do today (Monday) to move cargoes out of the ports because of the situation we find ourselves, but in less than 48 hours there will be normalcy again", he stressed.

Speaking in a similar manner, another stakeholder; Comrade Pius David attributed the low port operations to the elections even as he blamed the banks for the development.

He said the aftermath of the elections will lead to massive loss of revenue for government.

Shipping Position Daily recalls that a similar development was experienced last Friday in Lagos ports, which were devoid of the usual heavy human and vehicular traffic as few port users and operators were at work.
Banks collecting customs duty and other levies closed offices as early as 1 p.m. to enable their workers to also prepare for the elections.http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/activities-standstill-lagos-ports-presidential-elections-results-are-being-awaited