Customs agents threaten to shut down Onne Port over revenue exclusion
By Aboki Forex —
Customs agents at Onne Port, Rivers State, have threatened to disrupt port operations over the exclusion of their revenue from the port's E-Call-Up system. The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) said its members' earnings are not integrated into the port's call-up charges.
ANLCA demands integration
The agents, under the aegis of ANLCA at Onne Port, said they will not back down unless their revenue is captured in the port's call-up charges. The threat raises the possibility of a showdown at one of Nigeria's key oil and gas ports.
However, sources close to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Onne told Daily Sun that the agitation may be driven largely by the desire of the freight forwarding associations and the Maritime Transport Union, Onne units, to generate revenue through the E-Call-Up system by issuing tickets to truck operators.
Dispute over E-Call-Up system
The E-Call-Up system is designed to manage truck movement and decongest the port. The disagreement is over who controls ticket revenue from the system. The ANLCA insists its members' revenue must be included, while port sources suspect a push by transport unions to cash in.
No timeline has been given for the planned disruption. The NPA and the customs agents have yet to release an official joint statement on the matter.