BY EGUONO ODJEGBA
Undoubtedly, the controversy surrounding the recent proposed increase in the cost of terminal service charge for imported goods aside the tension it generated amongst players, has also thrown up the inner rot of our being, call it the ailment of the human mind, if you like, so peculiarly of Nigerian.
Perhaps, also, it is best to approach the worrisome development in its logical sequence, beginning from how the agitations against the service charge begun, in order to fully appreciate the critical turning points and how they have advanced, and their interconnectivity not just to one another, but also in order to identity their merits or demerits.
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Above must include the interventions, sincere or insincere, some of which are known to have been spiced in sabotage and conspiracy, and blackmail and propaganda; plus the activities of course, of the camp of the fifth columnists, desperate interlopers, and spoilers.
Without any official public notice or warnings to support the decision to raise the asking service fee, it is safe to infer that it all started as a rumour. As the rumour gained crescendo, attracted and attached itself to some factual evidences, it began to gain legitimate attention and to wit, gradually assumed some life of its own; hence it began to attract players with homogeneous interests.
These persons with similar interests visited a media group to among other things make public that which was shrouded in secret, and also sought to discredit the secret scheme to hike the said service charge by attempting to impugn the integrity of the decision of the terminal operators.
Whereas, it is no longer news that the first set of trouble shooters through the media, sought public sympathy to hoot, disparage and reject the decision of the operators, as expected, the media reports provided the mileage necessary to attract attention, and hence also created immediate reactions and a flurry of counter reactions; some of which have been noted to be inconsistent with rational collective objective.
But let us dwell on other more pressing issues today, vis-a-viz the status of the proposed fee hike and then return to the said media scheme in subsequent edition, just so we don’t allow for gaps. With the basic issues already fully laid bare in the public glare, the matter has assumed a public one through debate and hence the facts must unite to dispel mischief and all its tendencies.
The first established facts was that the terminal operators, under the aegis of Seaport Terminal Operators of Nigeria (STOAN), has made the decision to push up its services charge, and the next fact was that the development instantly created tension in the port as some freight forwarders accused the terminal operators of abuse of process, high handedness and insensitivity.
It is instructive that while port users are the first in the line of Nigerians at the receiving end, which includes the freight forwarders, customs clearing agents and their clients, the importers; we must note that the ultimate victims are the Nigerian struggling masses; since it is the masses, being the end users of the imported items that will in actual fact, in the final analysis, pick the extra costs, and hence the real victim of the hike in the port’s terminal service charge.
Hence, the announcement which expectedly sparked widespread outrage among the agitating freight forwarders who have been were threatening fire and brimstone should the price hike be effected; is of little avail, since the final consumers and not the customs agents or freight forwarders are mere incidental middle men.
Howbeit, the next to express a strong opinion on the matter was the immediate past acting National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto, who despite being the custodian of the public trust as a registered customs agent, identified with the position of the terminal operators to jack up their service charge.
In a press statement attributed to him and published in various media outlets, Farinto premised his sympathy and understanding on the harsh prevailing operational atmosphere.
He said, “We all know that the indices of working in the port now are not as it used to be and things have changed. The terminal operators too are Nigerians and if we juxtapose what is happening vis-a-vis the fact that there has been increment in prices of fuel and the dollar has risen, so there has to be a rise in their charges too.
“We are in an era where you cannot predict the dollar and these people are rendering services so it becomes inevitable for them to increase. Nobody should be criticised for that. But I want to commend them because they are coming late in increasing their charges because I know that if it were to be the old operators, they would have increased the charges but they took their time before they did this. There is nothing anyone can do about it.”
The controversial and outspoken clearing agent did not stop there, he accused government of having failed in its responsibility to provide support services he argued would have lessened the ports operating hardships.
“What are these services? It was in the concession agreement that the government will provide electricity 24/7 but this has not been made available. It is still the same terminal operators that are providing electricity so government must go back and do that”, he enthused.
Not a few thinks that Farinto’s endorsement of the proposed hike in terminals service charge was unbecoming; further inflaming the agitations.
Thankfully, to prevent the development from snowballing into chaos, on Wednesday October 18, 2023, Nigerian terminal operators and the national leaders of ANLCA demonstrated high sense of responsibility in the effort to preserve industrial peace and harmony while also making allowances for the current harsh economic realities; as both met to dialogue on the matter.
While ANLCA National President, Mr Emenike Nwokeoji led his group, the chairperson of the umbrella body of the terminal operators known as Seaport Terminal Owners Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, received the clearing agents where they dialogued on the development.
At the end of the meeting which insider report described as mature, peaceful and full of understanding, the terminal operators agreed to defer the implementation of the price hike, following plea by the leadership of ANLCA to do, to first of all allow for proper consultation and sensitization amongst critical stakeholders.
Sources close to the office of the ANLCA National President informed that after Haastrup explained that the situation is a consequence of current inflationary trends, the weakening exchange power of the naira and other macroeconomic dynamics, Nwokeoji appealed to the representatives of STOAN, both the chairperson and secretary, to put the planned increase on hold to allow for more consultation with its members.
Flowing from the atmosphere of mutual respect under which the meeting was held and the understanding said to have been shown by the leadership of the leading customs brokers, the representatives of STOAN also agreed stay action on the implementation, pending the outcome of another meeting, said to have been jointly agreed upon by both parties.
But just as these noble efforts were been made, some persons were busy making moves to sabotage the temporary truce and to frustrate any further discussions by spreading malicious rumour amongst individual terminal operators that the chairperson of STOAN was trading away the terminal operators collective position to embark on service charge increment.
Usually dependable sources say rather than join in the noble cause to see how stakeholders on both sides can navigate through the hard times, some selfish individuals elected to stretch mischief to its limits, plot ways to divide the terminal operators and to plunge the industry into avoidable yet another chaos.
According to the grapevine, some mole within the ANLCA leadership camp not only recorded proceedings during the meeting which they reportedly made available to their shadow opposition leader; known for his penchant for trouble making and divisive tactics.
This shadowy character also well known for his proclivity for mischief allegedly twisted the facts of the constructive engagement between STOAN and ANLCA and presented a falsified and warped version of Vicky Haastrup’s leadership posture, to manage the crisis that was threatening the fee hike by terminal operators.
To achieve his narrow ends, the aforementioned shadowy figure believed to still command some insider political followership in ANLCA, traded the said twisted information with one of the terminal operators with whom he is believed to enjoy some sort of friendship.
There are indications this indigenous terminal operator escalated the fake report regarding STOAN’s temporary concession to the freight forwarders, to fellow terminal operators, thus sowing the seed of distrust and discord.
Sources informed that the STOAN Chairperson was put in a difficult situation as she suffered harassments from some colleague terminal operators, who allegedly accused her of attempts to trade off their collective interest.
The attempt to scandalize her, our reporter gathered is the worst thing that can happen to the dialogue at hand, and hence to industrial harmony and stability; as such situation clearly erects barriers on the part of future dialogue and purposeful engagements.
Speaking on the matter, a source who does not want his name said, “Playing the devil’s advocate will avail him only temporary relief, but l can tell you that posterity will not be kind to him.
The role of the maritime media has also not shown sufficient developmental interest, but a hankering after occupational handout, to admit anything, and which does not even forebear reporting outright base and outright lies.
Thus our media has become the breeding grounds for much of what is unwholesome rather than lend itself for the promotion of healthy and developmental journalism, as part of its social contract.
The abhorrent support of our media for apparently devious and often time clearly devilish ends is not only unbecoming, but is already a threat to the good of society and mankind.
It is inconceivable that while well meaning members of the maritime community are lending their support for peaceful business atmosphere devoid of instability, some reporters are engage in provocative and morally reprehensible paid articles and editorials.
It bears repeating that the Emenike led National Executive Committee (NECOM) dialogue with STOAN was not only a demonstration of leadership capacity and its commitment to purposeful engagements. Hence any attempt by any reporter to fault the ANLCA/STOAN dialogue or give it a twisted outcome is not only guilty of facts doctoring but morally reprehensible.
Such journalistic rascality must be exposed for they are, as any form of encouragement through sitting on the fence attitude will only destroy everybody. Already, there are indications that STOAN is already singing discordant tunes, flowing from a section of the malleable maritime media.
Grapevine report that despite the meaningful dialogue between ANLCA and STOAN, and despite the reported pledge to leverage on the parley last week to mitigate the adverse effects of the hike and support one another to overcome the crisis period, the latter is reportedly foot dragging amid even as the group have publicly dismissed the parley and declared that the collection of the new graduated terminal service is already on course.
This latter posturing not only seeks to rubbish the STOAN/ANLCA parley, it is creating an atmosphere of distrust and animosity that may implode on the industry some day.
Presently, it is unclear what will unfold in the upcoming weeks should the terminal operators fail to honour their pledge to further their dialogue on the controversial service charge issue; hence STOAN has reportedly also disowned the leaders of ANLCA about the status of the levy, which they claim is already operational.
Such declaration only puts the leadership of ANLCA in an uncertain, tortuous and painful situation with their members.
But while the industry awaits the fallout from this unfortunate conflicts and contradictions, it is noteworthy that no single freight forwarding groups or even the mischief merchants has taken a contrary position to the one taken by ANLCA leaders.
Those who have elected to secretly throw spanners on the dialogue train for their selfish reasons are more likely to continue hiding behind the curtain, as they lack the courage to do so in the open. That is the eternal fate of saboteurs and blackmailers; they don’t dare ever show their faces in the open. They remain object of pitiful spectacle for all time, like all despicable elements!
It is instructive that the founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has also openly backed the move by terminal operators to increase storage charges at the nation’s seaports; citing the inevitable economic dynamics of today.
The NAGAFF position reinforces the empathy that the ANLCA leadership was minded to recognize, and hence also agreed in principle with the proposed fee hike; but was equally bold enough to ask that its implementation be delayed to give room for further negotiation and possible bargain.
This does not in any way amount to a sell out or lack of capacity on the part of Emenike Nwokeoji; same goes for STOAN Chairperson.
Whatever anybody thinks of this matter, Mrs. Vicky Haastrup reputation cannot be impugned and she shall remain a heroine and a jewel of inestimable value in charting a safe course for the stability of the maritime industry at this trying moment; if she does not succumb to arm twist.