Connect with us

Headlines

Crisis brews in maritime industry as truck owners vow to resist imposition of levy by Lagos government.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu
The Eyewitness Reporter
The relative industrial harmony currently pervading the entire landscape of Nigerian Ports may soon be ruptured by the ludicrous plan by the Lagos state government to impose what has been described as illegal fees on truck owners.
The truck owners, through the National Association of Maritime Transport Operators (NAMTOP) and  Council of Maritime  Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA), have raised the alarm over the impending crisis being perpetrated by the subterranean attempt of  Sola Giwa, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation capable of breaching the peace in the maritime transport unions.
Adisa Moshood Olaitan, the President of NAMTOP and  Adeyinka Aroyewun, the National President of COMTUA, in separate letters to the Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, complained about the creation and imposition of a committee called Lagos State Trucks and Cargo Committee, contrived by Sola Giwa and the Ministry of Transportation to extort maritime truck owners and their drivers.
In their separate letters addressed to Governor Sanwo-Olu and copied to the IGP, Director of SSS and the Lagos state Attorney General, the two leaders appealed to Sanwo-Olu to intervene in the brewing crisis by calling his lieutenants to order.
The unionists complained of divide and rule tactics of the state ministry of Transportation and Mr Giwa to destabilise the maritime transport unions through the imposition of what they called an illegal committee charged with the collection of the equally illegal harmonised fee.
They reminded the sponsors of the illegal committee that the only legal fee known and accepted by the transport unions was the Wharf Landing fee which came into law in 2007.
They warned that any attempt by the state government and its agents to impose another Levy would set the maritime industry on fire as truck owners and truck drivers would resist the imposed levy with the last pint of their blood.
“I am writing to you today to express my deep concern about the creation of a committee that is aimed at acting against the activities of our unions and associations in the maritime transport industry.
“As a member of this industry, it becomes a matter of concern that despite our protest letter to your office and advice to the Ministry of Transportation against its resolve on the creation of this committee, we received through a letter of appointment from members of the committee a plot against the activities of our association.
“The letter emanating from the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, signed by the special adviser to the governor of transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, whose interest and partisanship have been greatly mentioned in our leadership crisis that resulted in the ongoing litigation, can best be described as a recipe for the crisis and the breakdown of the law and order within our industry and in Lagos State.

“The members of the said committee are also members of the same association where the leadership contest is a subject of litigation.

“The imposition of these individuals under the guise of a committee of the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation to supervise the activities of our association is in contempt of a court process, and it’s unacceptable.
“In the letter, part of the committee’s mandate is a collection of harmonised fee. This harmonised fee is not a Lagos State government levy.
” It was agreed upon by unions and associations in our collaboration known as the National Association of Maritime Transport Operators ( NAMTOP) ; as such, the ministry lacks jurisdiction on such collection.
“The only government levy in Lagos State is the wharf landing fee. This fee became law and came into operation as a harmonised fee in 2007 for maritime transport operators and it has since been respected.
” Setting up a committee to “adopt and ensure the payment of a harmonised fee as approved by the Lagos State government” as contained in the “terms of reference” of the said committee is provocative.

“We shall use every legal means to protest against the activities of this said committee which will amount to double taxation, imposition of leadership on our association, contempt of court and conduct that may lead to a breach of public peace.

“We plead with your Excellency, to call Hon Sola Giwa and officers of the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation to order” Adisa Moshood Olaitan, pleaded with Governor Sanwo-Olu.
On his part, Aroyewun, the COMTUA National President described the proposed few as double taxation which will bring untold hardship to his members.
“The proposed collection of dues will not only cause financial hardship to the truckers but will also lead to a breakdown of law and order. We truckers are an important part of the economy, and we should not be subjected to such illegal and unjust actions.
“The terms of reference listed for the committee contain the entire content of our agreement as a collaboration.
“This is contained in a letter.
MOT/AG./2937/1/10 of February 13, 2023, signed by the permanent secretary, Engr. Toriola, as attached.
This may be contentious and may lead to a breach of peace.
“The individuals listed as members of the committee lost their bid to head or lead our collaboration in an election.
“Selecting the same person to head a committee with the same terms of reference as our collaboration is seen as a ploy to impose or sponsor these individuals to act in place of our union.
“As a committee established by the government, it is expected that the rewards for its members are the responsibility of the government, not the creation of an extortion avenue under the guise of being harmonised to be paid by truckers.
“This deliberate attempt to cause a crisis is the handwork of the Special Adviser to Mr. Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa.
“There is no need for the divide-and-rule approach of the ministry, as the consequences can best be imagined.
“That the loss of Mr. Lookman Shittu to Mr. Moshood Adisa Olaitan as to the seat of the chairman does not put the association or the industry in crisis but the deliberate attempt by the officials of the ministry to create one.
“That a civil medium for resolving the Chairman issue between Mr. Adisa Moshood and Alh Lookman Shittu is in court in suit ID/7478GCM/2023 and is currently at the stage where counsel for the parties is to address the court on January 31, 2024.
The claim of vacuum as a ground advanced by the ministry to establish the committee is unfounded.
The composition of a committee to act in place of our association is not only illegal as it is in contempt but also does not fall under the purview of the Ministry of Transportation.
“It is shameful that the ministry officials and the Special Adviser could not hide their desperation to impose a looser of an election on a union through an illegitimate committee but in absolute disobedience to the rule of law, proceeding on such action that can set the state on fire.
“We are not disturbed by the “name-dropping” antics of the gang; we are concerned when the governor and his deputy, whose names are mentioned as sponsors of this agenda, keep their silence against our complaints and protests.
“We advise the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwoolu, to immediately call Hon. Sola Giwa and the officials of the Ministry of Transportation to order, as their actions may set the state on fire.
“It is important that the government take urgent steps to address this issue and ensure that the rights of truckers are protected.
“This will not only prevent a crisis and breakdown of law and order but also ensure that the state’s economy is not negatively impacted.
“I urge you to take immediate action to stop the proposed illegal collection of dues from truckers by the committee set up by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation.
“Failure to do so may lead to a crisis and a breakdown of law and order in the state” the COMTUA president warned.
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Analyses

The invisible toll gates:Why National Single Window is Nigeria’s ultimate economic battleground

Monday Discourse with  Ibrahim Nasiru
Walk into any market in Nigeria today, from the commercial hubs of Lagos to the roadside stalls in Yola, and ask why a bag of rice or an imported spare part costs three times what it did last year.
The typical public commentator will blame global inflation, floating currencies, or macro-economic shocks.
But those who understand logistics know the real truth lies buried under layers of paper, manual stamps, and artificial delays at our seaports.
Nigeria’s international trade is suffocating not from a lack of deep water, but from a deliberate design of convenience.
The recent operational rollout of the National Single Window (NSW) has triggered behind-the-scenes panic among Port cartels, and for good reason.
For decades, keeping our clearing processes fragmented, manual, and dependent on desk-to-desk human interaction was the perfect business model for syndicates.
When cargo dwell times drag on for 21 days, those delays are money in the pockets of the gatekeepers and a death sentence for local businesses.
Let us look at the raw field realities. The push by the Nigeria Customs Service to aggressively crash clearance times down to global 48-hour standards is meeting fierce internal resistance.
Why? Because a unified digital ecosystem means you cannot easily manipulate documentation, hide illicit cargo, or demand “mobilization fees” before signing off a container.
The outcry and protests from certain freight-forwarding syndicates aren’t about technical glitches; they are about the sudden closure of invisible toll gates.
This is exactly why governance at our national gateways can no longer be left to the mercy of transactional bureaucratic habits.
Building deep-sea infrastructure like Lekki Port is a massive physical achievement, but concrete and cranes are useless if the administrative processes at the gate remain backward.
 Real structural reform requires turning our Ports into automated, friction-free pipelines that prioritize production over rent-seeking.
If Nigeria wants to survive this fiscal squeeze, the National Single Window cannot just be treated as another glossy IT project launched in Abuja.
 It requires unyielding administrative enforcement to completely dismantle the corrupt cartels managing the manual desk chains.
The invisible toll gates at our Ports must be completely demolished, and that exact same structural discipline must be scaled across our border stations and trade corridors.
The era of managing international trade with 20th-century paper trails is dying. The future belongs to the builders of automated, transparent systems.
Chief Ibrahim Nasiru, a public affairs analyst,  writes from Abuja 
Continue Reading

Headlines

NANTA Exco embarks on seven-day Ghana retreat, fam trip to deepen regional tourism partnership

Gloria Odion, Reporter

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has commenced a seven-day executive retreat and familiarisation (fam) trip to Ghana, hosted by Safari World, as part of efforts to strengthen regional tourism partnerships and expand cross-border travel opportunities.

The NANTA delegation was received at Safari World Homes in Accra by the Chairman of the Safari World Group, Mr. Ernest Gyekye, who expressed delight at hosting the Nigerian travel trade leaders.

He assured the delegation of a memorable experience throughout their week-long stay.

Speaking on the significance of the visit, NANTA President, Mr. Yinka Folami, described the retreat and familiarisation tour as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering stronger business relationships and promoting collaborative tourism development across Africa.

“This mission is not a leisure trip,” Folami said. “It is a deliberate step to implement and expand our association’s marketing advocacy for Nigerian brands across borders.”

He noted that Nigeria and Ghana share deep historical, cultural and commercial ties that should be leveraged to drive tourism growth on the continent.

“Nigeria and Ghana share history, culture, trade and people. The future of our tourism cannot be built in silos,” he said.

“This retreat is about moving from policy to practice—creating real products, real partnerships and real movement of travellers between Accra and Lagos.”

As part of the programme, the NANTA executives will engage in strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings with their Ghanaian counterparts, tour key tourism destinations under the Safari World brand, and participate in cultural exchange activities designed to promote stronger bilateral tourism cooperation.

The itinerary spans Safari World’s three flagship destinations, including Safari Homes in Accra, the Aqua Safari riverfront experience, Safari Island Cruise, Safari Nautica, and Safari Recreation and Sports facilities in Ada, as well as the Safari Valley Eco Resort and Safari Eco Park in Dawu.

Operating under the brand promise, “One World, Three Destinations, Over 20 Unique Experiences,” Safari World is leveraging the visit to strengthen its footprint in the Nigerian travel market while positioning Ghana as a premier destination for leisure tourism, conferences, group travel, family holidays and premium tourism experiences.

A major highlight of the visit will be the Executive Dinner scheduled for July 21 at the Safari Valley Eco Resort, where key stakeholders from Nigeria and Ghana’s tourism industries will deliberate on strategies for deepening travel trade and advancing regional tourism development.

The familiarisation tour is expected to provide NANTA’s leadership with first-hand knowledge of Safari World’s tourism offerings, paving the way for the development of attractive travel packages and stronger business partnerships that will benefit Nigerian travellers and the wider West African tourism industry.

Continue Reading

Customs

Ogun Customs spurns claims of Smugglers’ takeover of Idiroko–Sango Ota trading Route

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed as false reports alleging that smugglers had taken over the Idiroko–Sango Ota trading route in Ogun State, describing the claims as a deliberate misrepresentation of a traffic incident.
In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs (SC) Chado, the Command clarified that the traffic gridlock on the route resulted from the breakdown of an articulated commercial trailer after it fell into a badly deteriorated section of Atan Road, temporarily obstructing the free flow of traffic.
According to the Command, the vehicles caught in the ensuing congestion were legitimate commercial trucks transporting red palm oil to various local markets and had no connection whatsoever with smuggling activities.
It explained that the large number of heavy-duty trucks trapped in the gridlock may have led some members of the public to wrongly conclude that smugglers had taken over the road.
“The reports that smugglers blocked the road are inaccurate. The disruption resulted from a road accident and poor road conditions. The vehicles involved were lawful commercial vehicles transporting red palm oil for legitimate trade,” Chado stated.
The Command urged journalists, social media users and the general public to verify information before disseminating reports capable of creating unnecessary panic or undermining public confidence in security agencies.
Observers within the border trade sector noted that the allegation does not reflect the prevailing security situation within the Ogun I Area Command, where anti-smuggling operations have been intensified under the leadership of the Acting Customs Area Controller, Comptroller O.O. Afeni.
Since assuming office, Comptroller Afeni has strengthened intelligence-driven surveillance, enhanced collaboration with other security agencies and host communities, and sustained pressure on economic saboteurs operating along the Ogun border corridors.
These measures, according to stakeholders, have resulted in significant seizures of prohibited goods and reinforced the Command’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and territorial integrity.
Maritime and border trade stakeholders also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of undermining the efforts of security personnel or creating a false impression of lawlessness in border communities.
They stressed that while combating smuggling remains an ongoing responsibility, responsible and accurate reporting is equally critical to ensuring that operational achievements are not overshadowed by misinformation.
The Ogun I Area Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining its anti-smuggling campaign while facilitating legitimate cross-border trade in line with the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Continue Reading

Trending