By Bon Peters
The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA and other freight Forwarding associations including Maritime Workers Union Truck Unit, Onne Youths Congress and other stakeholders operating at Onne Port Rivers state may withdraw their services if no concrete agreement is reached to forestall the move by the management of Nigerian ports Authority and other relevant stakeholders within the next four days.
They cited the dilapidated state of the Port access roads and the collection of electronic truck call- up system otherwise known as E- Call up levies and the non availability of Truck Holding bays as the reasons for their action.
This decision was reached in a joint Press Conference organized by the affected associations, Union and other relevant stakeholders Wednesday, August 12, at Onne, Port Harcourt, the Rivers state Capital whereby a 4 day Ultimatum to NPA management to stop the E-call and fix the roads was issued.
Reading the Communiqué jointly signed by all the affected stakeholders, the Onne Chapter Chairman of the Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents, ANLCA, Chief Ifeanyi Isikaku, called on Federal government to allocate a fraction of the sum of N487bn revenue generated from Onne Port between January to July, 2026 to fix and maintain the internal Port access roads leading to Onne Port for the safety of its members and Onne host community.
Isikaku noted that the federal government has realized about N487bn in revenue from Onne Port between January and July and argued that a fraction of the money should be used to fix the dilapidated internal roads at Onne where he said the money was generated.
His words “That we place on record that the total customs revenue realized from Onne Port Command between January and July 2026 is approximately N439 Billion, while revenue from Oil and Gas Free Zone Customs within the same period is approximately N48 Billion, Totaling N487 Billion within 7 Months.”
“With deep concern and frustration, the house deliberated extensively on the worsening plight of our Unions and members. Of particular note is the unabated illegal parking of trucks across Onne roads and the imminent chaos occasioned by the Nigerian Ports Authority’s failure to honour its commitment to provide adequate facilities and sufficient Holding bays at Onne Port prior to the commencement of the E-Call Up System,
“Compounding this crisis is the deplorable and death trap condition of the access roads leading to Onne Port, which continued to endanger lives, destroy goods and cripple legitimate business.
“In view of the foregoing and in the interest of safety, sanity and the welfare of our members and the host community we resolved that there shall be no more illegal parking of trucks on Onne roads to ensure free flow of traffic for the community and our members.
”That all access roads within Onne leading to the port be properly maintained to prevent frequent container fall incidents, injuries to members and loss of lives arising from the deplorable state of the roads.
“That our members shall no longer participate in the arbitrary and bogus payments associated with the E-Call Up System of transport at the port.
“That the implementation of the E-Call Up System of transport be suspended until adequate Holding Bays are built to accommodate the number of trucks operating at Onne Port. This suspension takes effect Monday, 17th August 2026
“That suspension of the E-Call Up system of truck at Onne port remains effective until all the challenges listed above are adequately addressed.”
In his Contribution, the unit Chairman Truck Owners Association of the Maritime Workers Union Of Nigeria , Eastern Port, Comrade Uche Ogbu said that the dilapidated state of Onne internal roads and haphazard ways trucks are lined up for E-Call Up levies is affecting the smooth operation of business at the Port
Comrade Ogbu, said that the Nigerian Port Authority, NPA, has refused to provide Holding bays for trucks that come into the Port despite all the appeals made by stakeholders at the Port on the danger of operating E-Call Up without designated Holding bays.
He said that the poor state of Onne Port access roads and the haphazard ways trucks were lined up for E-Call Up levies was constituting danger to the lives of Port users.
He hinted that at the end of the 4 day ultimatum which he said expires on Monday August 17, 2026 the union in collaboration with other stakeholders at the Port will shutdown business activities at the Port.
“We are the people carrying the burden of the E-Call Up levies. We the maritime workers in collaboration with other stakeholders and Onne communities are going to down tool from Monday.”
Ogbu insisted "We want to draw the attention of the government about the poor state of the facilities where we do our businesses. We are going to down our tools and after downing our tools and even when we are going to start operations we will ask our members to go inside the Ports and ensure that they stop the operation of E-Call Up. We are going to stop the E-Call Up operations by Monday. I am promising you that."
“The Nigeria factors play out on the issues that concern government business, if you ask NPA they will tell you that they are getting their allocation from the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry and that the allocation is not even enough to cover their overhead costs.”
“That they don’t have any power or budget to carry out any work. The NPA do generate money but the money they generate according to them goes straight to the federal government it’s their responsibility to inform the Federal government about the state of infrastructure at the Eastern Port", adding, “they are the eyes of the federal government and we are not saying that NPA should take action that is beyond their capacity, they should know how to reach out to the ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, reach out to the Managing Director of NPA and through that channel they can get to the Presidency about our plights.”
“They are not ready to live up to their responsibilities, but only interested in the E-Call Up. A huge percentage of the E-Call Up goes to NPA. We know that if we stop the E-Call Up they will sit up and do something about our plights” Ogbu emphasized.
Present at the event include National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Onne chapter Chairman Dr. Ike Okechukwu Anselem, Chief Emeka Nwosu, Chairman, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Onne Seaport chapter, Comrade Prince Obinna Ugochukwu, Chairman, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), Onne Seaport, Forwarder Kolawale Atanda, Chairman APFFLON Onne chapter, Hon. .Eric Asor Kalu ,Chairman ANLCA Oil And Gas Free Trade Zone and the representatives of Onne Youth Congress among others.
As at the time of filing this report all efforts made to reach the management of NPA for reaction was not successful as the phone numbers of the Port Manager and the Corporate Communication manager Mr Okoroafor Nwachukwu were not reachable
By Bon Peters
in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
No comments:
Post a Comment