Massive job losses loom following the shutdown of ITC Container Terminals, Alliance Container Terminal, and Creseada Container Terminals, all in Lagos, due to lack of business and patronage from seaport terminals at Apapa and Tin-Can Ports.

Disclosing this to Tribune Online exclusively in Lagos, the general secretary of the Association of Bonded Terminals Operators of Nigeria, Mr Haruna Omolajomo, explained that out of over 40 Inland Container Terminals in Lagos, only a few are still operating, albeit below an optimal level.

According to Mr. Haruna Omolajomo, “In Lagos alone, we have over 40 indigenous bonded terminals operating and they have spent more than N5trillion to equip their terminals in terms of infrastructure and machinery.

“I can tell you authoritatively that none of the over 40 indigenous bonded terminals are operating beyond 10 percent due to non-patronage.

“Many have borrowed money from commercial banks to equip their container terminals and due to a lack of patronage from shipping companies and seaport terminal operators, they are struggling to repay bank loans.

“For some that are lucky, they are battling high blood pressure. For some, who are not lucky, they are already six feet below the ground.”

On the numbers of inland container terminal operators that have shut down in Lagos, the General Secretary of the Association of Bonded Terminals Operators of Nigeria, Mr. Haruna Omolajomo, revealed that, “Some inland container terminal operators have shut down.

“We have ITC Container Terminals, Alliance Container Terminal and Creseada Bonded Terminals. This operators are no longer in operation. Between these three bonded terminals, they employed 400 staff in all, and all the workers have been laid off.

“Currently, we have some that are operating below five percent and may close shop any time soon. I am talking about Mid Maritime Container Terminal, Port Express Container Terminal, Duncan Container Terminal and Sapid Container Terminal.

“They are all operating below 5 percent and have between them close to 800 workers. They can fold up anytime from now if the situation persists like this, and that means more workers off jobs.”

On likely way forward, Mr. Omolajomo explained that the federal government needs to make a law that allows indigenous container terminal operators to have a certain percentage pf cargoes stemmed to them from the ports.

“We have tried all we could to get government attention in the past. We have gone to the Presidency. We have gone to the National Assembly.

“Sometime ago, the National Assembly set up a panel of enquiry headed by Senator Olugbenga Obadara. At the end of the day, it all amounted to nothing.

“Up till now, we are not relaxing. We are still making efforts to get government attention, and our demand is that we are not saying government should not have anything to do with these foreign companies, but should respect local content and allow us to also do business.

“When cargoes arrive at the ports, the government should ensure that indigenous bonded terminals get 30 percent of such cargoes.

“The government needs to make a policy that it’s a MUST that port operators patronize indigenous container terminals.

“When indigenous bonded terminals get cargoes from the port operators, it will increase the revenue that is accruable to the federal government. This is aside from creating jobs for more Nigerians.” (TRIBUNE)