LAGOS MAY 18TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The industrial action embarked upon by customs agents and truck owners at the ports nationwide in the past three days has been suspended.
But the practitioners gave a fresh 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to address all the issues in contention so as to avert further strike.
The representatives of the agents and truck owners had met at the Headquarters of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Apapa, Lagos, Wednesday afternoon where they signed a press statement suspending the strike.
According to the statement, the decision to call off the strike was in consideration of the pleas by government representatives and other well-meaning Nigerians that the strike be suspended.
By suspending the strike, the aggrieved practitioners said government will be in a position to address issues that led to the strike in the first place.
The practitioners commended the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Barr Hassan Bello and Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Ms. Hadiza Usman for their efforts at addressing issues that led to the strike.
The agents also commended the two for their roles in repositioning the total logistics supply chain.
However, the practitioners gave the government another 21-day ultimatum to rectify all the issues in contention so as to avert another round of strike.
ANLCA, NAGAFF and truck owners association commended their members for supporting the industrial action and for remaining calm while it lasted.
The associations explained that this was for the interest of the national economy and practitioners.
The grievances of the agents include bad port access roads, arbitrary charges by shipping companies and terminal operators, highhandedness, impunity, extortion against some officials of the Customs and other government agencies.
The agents also complained about stoppage and arrest of containers or other goods that had earlier been cleared at the ports by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the customs on the highways.
The agents also alleged that customs agents or freight forwarders were suffering unwarranted detention in the hands of Customs.
Following the strike, the Nigerian Ports Authority Monday offered to repair all the dilapidated ports access roads in Lagos.
Managing Director of NPA, Ms Hadiza Usman Hadiza made the promise after a tour of the port access roads within the Lagos pilotage district with the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Barr Hassan Bello accompanied by the top management team of the two agencies.