Following the recent directive made by the Minister of Transport on the stemming of containers to off-dock terminals from the ports in order to ease congestion, freight agents have expressed optimism that the moribund Lilypond terminal at Ijora will be revived.
The freight forwarders also lauded the Minister on the directive given to the concessionaires to stem containers to bonded terminals, saying that it will to help provide employment for the youths in the state.
Mr. Frank Ailakor a member of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) told Shipping Position Daily that stemming of containers will resuscitate some of the dying off-dock terminals.
"We believe that the earlier the concessionaires send boxes to Lilypond the better for us because every day we still have a whole lot traffic of vessels coming into the seaports".
On his part, a port activist, Comrade Pius David said with the ministerial committee in place, the concessionaires have no choice but to transfer containers to off dock terminals.
"The directive by the minister will resuscitate Lilypond if the committee is willing to work"
"When you go to Lilypond at the moment, it is empty and this is a terminal under Apapa which I know that the terminal operators will gain from it because they also collect transfer charges"
The Apapa Chairman of the National Association Of Government Approved Freight Forwarder, NAGAFF, Dr fred Ajuzie has also expressed optimism over the Minister Of Transport, Senator Idris Umar ability to enforce the recommendations of the ministerial committee on ports de-congestion.
Speaking to journalists in his office on Friday, Ajuzie believes all the recommendations of the committee will be achieved to foster a reasonable working environment in the ports.
He said, “It is achievable because it is from the minister and it is an authority, from every segment of the port there is delay and nobody is taxing anybody responsible for the delay, but this time with the recommendations if you cause a delay and you pay for it then you see that consignments will be fast tracked and nobody will cause delay in the port any longer.”
Though, Dr Ajuzie said that the latest ministerial committee headed by David Omonibeke was not the first committee set up by the ministry of Transport but hope that there will be an outcome from this latest one.
His words, “This is not the first or second minister setting up a ministerial committee, the transport ministers both present and past are not interested in the welfare of the freight forwarders but it is a welcome development and we hope this time it will be different from the other committees that has earlier been set up and see whether there will be any improvement.”
http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/freight-forwarders-express-optimism-revival-lilypond-terminal
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