Exclusive: N178m Must Be Refunded, Illegal Collections Won’t Stand — NAGAFF Compliance Team
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, 100 Percent Compliance Team has insisted that about N178 million allegedly collected from freight forwarders through disputed charges at bonded terminals in Lagos must be refunded.
The National Coordinator of the team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, stated this in an exclusive interview with NAGAFF Cargo Watch on Wednesday, at his office in Lagos.
Tanko said the team was compelled to investigate the alleged collections after discovering tickets reportedly being issued in the name of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANCLA, without the knowledge or approval of the association.
National Coordinator, 100% Compliance Team, NAGAFF
He said consultations with NAGAFF leadership and ANCLA officials confirmed that the association denied authorising the collections.
Tanko said the affected terminals, particularly SIFAX Okota and SIFAX Ijora, must explain how the tickets were issued and who collected the money.
He added that one of the terminals had already denied knowledge of the collection, prompting the Compliance Team to call for further investigation by relevant law enforcement agencies.
The NAGAFF official warned that charges imposed on freight forwarders must follow due process and receive the necessary regulatory backing.
Tanko further stressed the need for relevant regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Nigerian Shippers’ Council and other agencies, to exercise their oversight responsibilities and ensure that freight forwarders are not subjected to unauthorised charges.
He also called on freight forwarders to remain vigilant and challenge questionable charges through the appropriate channels, stressing that all parties operating within the port environment have a responsibility to comply with established regulations.
On the controversy over Electronic Truck Call-Up, ETO, bookings, Tanko backed concerns raised by the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, over the cancellation of paid bookings when delays occur beyond truck owners’ control.
He blamed terminal congestion and inadequate operational capacity for some of the delays, alleging that trucks can spend days waiting because of limited equipment and operational bottlenecks.
Alhaji Tanko who is also a Board member of NAGAFF said freight forwarders should not be forced to pay again to revalidate an ETO when the delay was caused by the terminal.
He disclosed that NAGAFF had written to terminals, including TICT and APM Terminals, over the issue, warning against making freight forwarders bear the cost of delays outside their control.
The Compliance Team Boss also urged freight forwarders to patronise registered transport companies with sufficient capacity, revealing that NAGAFF was considering a system to register transport operators and establish their operational capacity.
Tanko maintained that NAGAFF would continue to defend freight forwarders against what it considers unauthorised charges, while pursuing appropriate channels to resolve the bonded-terminal fee controversy and Eto-related challenges.