The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and clearing agents have expressed divergent views over the efficacy of an earlier introduced trucks electronic call-up system at the seaports.
The electronic system of inviting truckers into the terminals for cargo loading was introduced by the Ports management as a panacea to the endemic traffic snarls at the access roads.
It has continued to generate controversy over it’s mode of implementation.
Rising to the challenge of unraveling the contending issues around the system, Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), organised a breakfast meeting to deliberate on the way forward.
With the theme. ‘Repositioning Eto Call-Up System for Optimal Performance” the event presented a “battle ground ” for the ports’ management who promptly scored the system high with the agents responding that the development had led to double taxation on the freight forwarders.
Presenting the lead paper at the event, President of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Eyis Amiwero, lamented that the implementation of electronic call-up system amounted to double taxation on the agents.
According to him, the payment for Eto call up which comes after the payment of Terminal Packing Fees and Vehicle Entry Permit by the licensed customs agents and the importers, was unnecessary.
According to Amiwero: “The importer or licensed customs agents is double charged after payment of Vehicle Entry Permit and Tenure Packing Fees (which authorised vehicles to enter the ports and load their consignment without any payment”.
He noted that the N21,500 thereafter slammed on the truckers to be “called-up” amounted to double charges to the importers who atimately bears the cost
Amiwero said this is so because transporters cannot access the ports without authorisation of the Customs Licensed Agents who are authorized by law as the body that will process the Eto-call up system.
Responding, the General Manager (Managing Director’s office), Mr. Durowaye Ayodele said the introduction of Eto Call up has brought sanity and ease of doing business to the port operations.
According to him, statistics has indicated that there has been a lot of cargo inflow into the country as a result of the introduction of Eto call up system.
To this end, he revealed that cargo turn around has changed to between 24-48 hours, just as “Freight Movement has crashed to 250,000 from previously over a million since the introduction of Eto-call up system.
He noted that the seeming controversy arose from the fact that some shipping lines currently maintain minimal holding bays that could barely accommodate 65 per cent of their containers.
In his remarks, chairman of the occasion, Mr. Olubunmi Olumeto said that water transportation must be embraced to avoid congestion and traffic gridlock at the access roads.
He expressed disappointment that the country has not been able to meet up with the technology age, he operators still bicker over a system that has been acknowledged in other countries.
