Over 1,000 clearing agents have threatened to withdraw their services from the Port and Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML) over Government’s increase on the tariff of imported vehicles by 100%.
Mr Ugochukwu Nnadi, an executive of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) made their position known after the Nigerian Customs Service implemented the hike at the Ports recently.
Comptroller Tunji Aremu, Area Controller of the Demand said the directive to immediately increase the tariff was issued from Customs headquarters in Abuja.
Customs had postponed the roll out of the new initiative in March after a peaceful protest by clearing agents. The new take off date was supposed to be July 1st.
Nnadi said, “In fact, one of us (Alhaji Ramin) told the Controller to tell them at Abuja that we will not accept that but the Controller said he does not have the power to do that and I see reason with him. The only thing he will tell Abuja is that we have withdrawn our services because of the implementation of the new rate and as long as they cease to revert to the old rate, we will continue with the strike.”