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By Innocent Orok
Due to alleged onholsome practices perpetrated by shipping companies, the 100% Unit of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders ( NAGAFF) has written to shipping companies intimating them of their intention to begin withdrawal of their services if the illegal trend is not address.
According to a letter of notification against withdrawal of services signed by Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, National Coordinator of NAGAFF Compliance Team, he accused the shipping companies to involve in depletion of containers deposits, undue debiting of Clients, detention of invoice among other illegalities.
The letter reads ” We write to notify all the shipping lines operating in Nigeria of our intention to withdraw our services.
“This is sequel to the multitude of complaints on extortion via:
Depletion of container deposit refunds,
Detention invoice, Undue debiting of our clients, Bringing us into disputes with our transporters/ clients and Unnecessary extortion of our importers up to N150,000 before dropping empty containers; then they pass it back to us before giving us our container cards.
Other illegalities alleged to be carried out by the Shipping Companies includes Network issue: “raising invoice, sending TDO etc to which we are losing N10 million per day. Deceitful demand of opening of importers account/ extortion before releasing invoice.Transfer of containers against the wish, consent nor approval of the consignee.
“This is a dubious move aimed at extorting money from us, and we are losing over N50million per day. As a result of your negligence or lack of capacity, you foister on us undue equipment detention charges ranging from N200,000 per 1×40ft and N100,000 ×1×20ft multiplied by over 1000 containers per day. Our transporters should be paid by way of compensation for using their trucks as a holding bay for days and weeks.
“Further more, we are no longer going to be induced nor coerced into arresting our transporters over misunderstandings bordering on missing containers etc.
Against this background, we want to notify that from the 25/10/2021 through 10/11/2021, if these issues raised above were not properly addressed; we will withdraw our services.
” It has come to our knowledge, that these shipping lines are not interested in the welfare of freight forwarders nor Nigerians, hence non of them have investment in Nigeria. All of them are on rent. Take notice: Do not open for operation after 10/11/2021.
To be fore warned is to be fore armed” the statement warned.
