Clearing Agents Invade Wharf Landing Fees, Release Vehicles “Illegally” Impounded

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Clearing agents at the Tin Can Island Port on Wednesday attacked the Lagos State Wharf Landing Fee Collection Agency in Apapa Lagos, releasing all imported tokunbo vehicles that were allegedly impounded illegally by the agency.

DAILY TREND NEWS gathered that the clearing agents were pushed to the wall by the Wharf Landing fee Collection officers who allegedly take advantage of the traffic gridlock on Liverpool bridge to impound imported vehicles, claiming that they were trying to invade payment.

While statutory payments to the Wharf Landing agents over a single vehicle is N300, however, any vehicle impounded for trying to escape payment is made to pay N100,000.

According to information earlier shared on social media by one Mr. Frank Obiekezie,
“As a result of gridlock at Liverpool bridge, most vehicles are passed through the other end of the roundabout by LASTMA Officials,the Wharf Landing agent usually feels the Tokunbos cars are trying to avoid paying their fees”

“In view of this, they apprehend and seize the vehicles and take the vehicles to their yard in Marine road, they have started issuing a 100k ticket fine for the ones they apprehend, all effort to make them understand that it was LASTMA that passed them through the alternative route fell on deaf hears”

“As at yesterday we saw that they have impounded more Tokunboh vehicles, the Chairman and entourage tried to intervene but to no avail, this made members went on rampage that this cheating is too much and have to March to their yard and forcefully released all the vehicles illegally apprehended with exception of about two”

He said the Chairman of the Agency, Prince Gboyega Salvador- Adebayo has started calling some of the clearing agents and threatening to unleash soldiers on them.

Obiekezie accused the wharf Landing fee of compounding the problems already on ground through illegitimate revenue generation.

“They are making it virtually impossible for us do our work and earn a decent living”

“A big crisis is looming and the entire system may not survive it. The regulators appear overwhelmed, even though they will not be willing to say so. Anarchy cannot be ruled out in the ports in the face of this persistent onslaught on freight forwarders and customs brokers” he warned