Clearing Agents Cripple Cargo Operations At MMIA

By Chuks Okoh
Customs licensed agents and freight forwarders at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos Friday crippled cargo operations at the terminal over the alleged arbitrary charges by foreign cargo airlines .
The agents who a few days ago staged a protest to express their disapproval over the obnoxious charges by the foreign cargo airlines, have vowed to shut down operations at the cargo wing of the Lagos Airport, until the foreign airlines and their representatives stop the collection of the illegal charges.
Sequel to the threat by the licensed agents and freight forwarders, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of the Nigerian Customs Service and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, have waded into the matter to broker truce.
Confirming the development, one of the officials of the Lagos Airport chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agent ( ANCLA), Mr Alloysious Igwe said until the foreign cargo agents withdraw the illegal charges at the terminal remains shut.
He said the arbitrary charges introduced by the airlines is not consistent with the standard operating procedure of cargo operations at the airport.
He said,” We were very surprised that these foreign airlines have introduced arbitrary charges for importer, which we feeL is very illegal.We insist that the airlines must explain the rationale for collecting such illegal money. But, at the moment, the NCAA and Customs service are intervening to resolve the matter.”
In his reaction, the Lagos Airport chapter leader of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders ( NAGAF), Mr Segun Musa said the arbitrary charge introduced by foreign cargo airlines have added to the high cost of doing businees, which he said is becoming alarming.
This is even as he called on the Federal Government to intervene in resolving the matter.
Musa said the association will seek legal redress and force the airlines to refund the charges they illegally collected over time from importers.
He insisted that the arbitrary charge should be scrapped.
The acting director general of NCAA, Engineer Benedict Adeyileka has called for an urgent meeting with the affected parties to resolve the feud.
Speaking in an interview, the President of Association of Foreign Airlines in Nigeria ( AFARN), Mr Kingsley Nwokoma said the licensed agents and freight forwarders were complaining over an issue that they do not have jurisdiction because the importers of cargo into the country who pay the charges to foreign cargo airlines are not complaining .
Nwokoma said the allegation by the licensed agents and freight forwarders that foreign cargo airlines are collecting arbitrary charges is not correct, because different airlines have their unique way of fixing charges on cargo.
He denied allegations by the agents that the NCAA has written a letter to the airlines to stop collecting the said charges, which he said is outside the purview of the regulatory body.
He said the airlines and the handling companies are ready for work, but that the agents have refused to show up for payment to process cargo at the terminal.
He said the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN), benefits from some of the charges paid by the importers.
Also speaking, the Customs Area Comptroller in charge of the Lagos Airport Command, Mr Tajudeen Olanrewaju said there is need to broker truce on the vexed issue because relevant agencies including the customs would loose revenue if the shut down of the cargo terminal lingers.