The Barge Operators Association of Nigeria has bemoaned the negative effects of dollar fees levied at the port by the Nigerian Port Authority.
According to Vanguard, the Nigerian Shippers Council, claim that dollar charges are illegal under Nigerian law.
These issues were brought up at a breakfast meeting in Lagos to inaugurate the newly elected executives of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria as the NPA also stated that there are no fees associated with licensing barge operators in the country.
“How can we as Nigerians be operating in Nigeria with Naira and our regulators are charging us in dollars?” According to the Director of Operations at BOAN, Nura Wagani.
We are rapidly losing because it costs N265,000 to barge one empty container; what about the ones that are laden?
“The NPA tariff regime cannot be maintained; it must end because it cannot be sustained.” Before operating as a barge operator, you must secure a bond in the amount of $50,000,000; without patronage, you cannot live.
The president of BOAN, Olubunmi Olumekun, had earlier stated that every NPA policy should be questioned because nothing is functioning and that a state of emergency should be declared over every NPA policy because it is impacting barge operators.
The Executive Secretary NSC Emmanuel Jime formally introduced the new executives, “Nigeria law, as I understand it, does not recognize charges in dollars, wherever this is occurring. This is wholly in contravention of the laws of this nation. We would turn on our internal mechanisms to look at these mechanisms head-on.
Concerned about the issues, NPA’s managing director, Ayo Durowaye, said: “NPA NPA does not charge a fee for licensing barge operators; instead, we have a bond requirement in place, which is N50 million for operations within the Lagos Pilotage District, N150 million for operations across the port, and N250 million for operations across international borders.
“What we want to do is make sure that every other operator is protected while you move around within the channel,” he said.
