Return to Status Quo, Agents Tell Customs Service, as Strike Continues

The Association of Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Monday insisted that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) should return to status quo on Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation policy.

According to it, if this is not done, the association will go ahead with its scheduled protest.

Alhaji Rilwan Amuni, the Taskforce Chairman of ANLCA, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

“As we speak, the Ports and Terminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) and Five Star Logistics Terminal, even Port and Cargo and TinCan Island Container Terminal (TICT) are under lock and key.

“We heard that some freight forwarding associations leaders met with the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC)’s Executive Secretary and it was agreed that general cargo should be allowed to go.

“We want to state that our leaders were not among those that went for the shippers council meeting.

“And if they went there, why can’t they come to the protest ground to tell us the agreement reached with the shippers council boss.

“They are asking us to let general cargo to be evacuated, how do we do such?. Should we be opening every container to check which is general cargo and the one that contains vehicle? Does it make sense?,” he said.

“The so called leaders that sat with the shippers council have not come to the protest ground,” he told NAN.

As regards the town hall meeting scheduled by the customs service with stakeholders, he said that they would be at the meeting to hear them out.

“Tomorrow, we will be going for the stakeholders meeting with customs but that does not stop us from holding our peaceful protest.

“If they tell us today that we should go back to the status quo, if they see us at the protest ground tomorrow they should call police to arrest us.

“We are not asking for much but for them to go back to status quo. So we should stop the protest while they decide on what to do, where is it done, after eleven days.

“I do not know what to tell my followers if we call off the strike without achieving anything,” he said.

NAN reports that clearing agents on Feb. 21, crippled economic activities at the Lagos ports with protest at the Tin Can Island Port and PTML Terminal over the anomalies in the VIN valuation system policy introduced by the NCS for imported vehicles.

The protest took place after the expiration of the 72 hours strike notice issued by all registered freight forwarding associations operating at the PTML Terminal and Tin Can Island port in Lagos.