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Liberia: LIBA Members Cry Foul Over Goods Handling
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The Inquirer (Monrovia)
28 April 2008
Posted to the web 28 April 2008
Janjay F. Campbell
The Liberia Business Association has expressed dissatisfaction over the way goods are now being handled at the National Port Authority (NPA).
LIBA said it was disappointed over the way BIVAC has been delaying the clearing of goods from the Freeport.
LIBA members who spoke to this paper over the weekend, said from the unsatisfactory manner in which goods are now being handled at the port, there is so much delay characterized by the process thereby leading to their goods staying too long at the port, and as a result most of them sustain acute financial loss.
A LIBA member, who identified himself as Mr. Wleh complained that he had paid storage fees to NPA and an additional US$12,000 for a container truck, but to date, his goods are still at the port.
According to him, every night the goods stay in the container, he is compelled to pay for the overnight charges to the NPA management.
For his part, Mr. Richmond Cole, a member of the Customs Broker Association, goods were in short supply on the market due to the many delays associated with the clearing of goods at the port. He alleged that there is not much manpower at the NPA and that there is lack of adequate equipment to handle the clearing of goods at the NPA.
According to many business people, the prevailing problem has resulted to their goods being stolen from warehouses at the port something which they said is affecting their businesses.
Some business people who spoke to this paper have attributed this unfortunate situation to alleged bribery in the process at some times to clear containers, something which is indeed unwholesome.
When this paper launched a rigorous investigation appertaining to the delay in releasing containers from the port, it was discovered that a MOU was issued from the Commissioner of Customs, G. Alphonso Gaye to Mr. William L. Buku, Sr, Senior Collector at the NPA dated April 27, 2008 under the subject, "Reminder that all destination inspections be conducted in the Freeport of Monrovia."
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According to the communication, the memorandum instructed that all consignments not undergoing shipment inspection be subject to 100% destination inspection in the port.
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