Following refusal by the management of NAHCO and the leadership of the Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS) to have a meeting ground over the recent price hike that led to a strike by clearing agents at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, the association has called on its members to boycott the terminal for the time being.
The President of SALS, Rev. Jonathan Nicol and his members have as a matter of urgency advised shippers to use the SAHCOL Terminals, and boycott NAHCO Sheds, until further notice.
Rev. Nicol, in a release sent to our correspondent, said, ‘‘It has come to the notice of the SALS that freight forwarders have withdrawn their services at the Murtala Mohammed Cargo and are on strike because of illegal increases in handling and demurrage charges by 30% margin.’’
‘‘Still SAHCOL has refused to increase prices, SALS is in full support of the freight forwarders to press for reversal to the old price. NAHCO in his response to SALS complained that it is the devaluation of the Naira,’’ he said.
The President further stressed that some of these Terminal Operators had failed to feel the pain and heartbeats of the Nigerian Shippers rather, they were milking their pockets and flouting the efforts of the Nigerian Shippers Council in negotiating prices increase.
He added that majority of the shippers could hardly get back their capital investments let alone making profits.
In his words, ‘‘While the shippers are crying to the banks, these terminal operators both at sea ports and airport are smiling to the banks,’’ adding, “It is indeed a sympathetic situation and very unfortunate.”
