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Cargoes Trapped At Lagos Seaport As Unity Bank Server Breaks Down
Yinka Olajoyetan, Lagos
Importers have raised the alarm on the inability to pay Customs duty at the Lagos ports due to the breakdown of Unity Bank server in the last one week.
The agents speaking under the aegis of The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics Of Nigeria (APFFLON), said they have been unable to capture jobs and pay Customs duty at Unity Bank since Monday 2nd, September 2024.
The President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, who raised the alarm in Lagos on Wednesday, said that the system breakdown has affected all the Unity Bank branches and nobody is able to pay Customs duty, thereby, incurring demurrage and rent on cargoes lying at the seaports and airports.
According to him, cargoes have been captured with the customs, using Unity Bank, hence it is difficult to switch banks.
The APFFLON President lamented that demurrages have continued to accrue on the cargoes at the port due to circumstances that is not the fault of the freight forwarders.
He stated that Unity Bank would have to compensate freight forwarders for the period of the system breakdown in order to cover for the losses incurred at the port.
“We have been unable to capture and pay for our customs duty since Monday due to challenges at Unity Bank.”
When asked why agents have not switched banks, the APFFLON President stated that, “The bank has been unable to resolve the hitches and demurrage is accruing.
“It is difficult to switch banks because what-ever bank you opened your form M and captured your job is where you must finish the clearing transaction.”