Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on Jul 18, 2013 4:13:23 GMT 1
THE Surface and Marine Transport Authority (SUMATRA) has convened a meeting of stakeholders in cargo shipping, clearing and forwarding business to deliberate on introduction of electronic cargo tracking system at the Dar es Salaam Port.
Sumatra acting Director General, Captain King Chiragi, has invited for a meeting today representatives from the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TFFA), Tanzania Shipping Agents Association (TSAA), Commissioner of Customs and Excise and the Ministry of Transport.
"We have received from TASAA a letter with Ref HS/ TASAA/TPA/130712 dated July 12, 2013 on the above mentioned subject matter, considering the points and concerns expressed in the letter, Sumatra has decided to call for a meeting involving TASAA, TPA, TRA and TAFFA to deliberate on issues relevant to introduction and implementation of the electronic cargo tracking system," Capt Chiragi said.
Chiragi said the meeting will particularly address issues raised by TASAA against TPA's unilateral decision to pick a Belgian based company, Antaser Afrique of Antwerp in Belgium for the job without floating an international tender and introducing extra costs on cargo handling at Dar es Salaam port which will make it less competitive in the region.
"The contract shows that the shipper or freight forwarder will have to pay a fee at the port of loading which is contrary to TPA claims, that it simply wants to offer services and improve cargo shipping services," said an official from Taffa.
Stakeholders led by TASAA are opposed to the new initiative which is imposed without consultations with stakeholders and the regulator, Sumatra. Meanwhile, details are emerging that introduction of ECTS in Nigeria in 2010 was met with fierce resistance as stakeholders branded the whole exercise as adding unnecessary costs and benefiting a few federal government elites.
Voicing his frustration at the controversial introduction of cargo tracking notes (CTN) in an article published by Nigerian Daily Independent, Dan Amor wrote, "In fact, the NPA (Nigeria Ports Authority) is believed to be employing arbitrary means to impose a regime of multiple taxation on operators in the maritime industry."
Almost a year after stakeholders in the industry have been calling on the NPA to account for the huge amount of money made from the Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN), the authority is still at large. Following the scrapping of the controversial payment system by the Federal Government in the third quarter of 2011, players in the industry are still clamouring for NPA to give account of proceeds from the two year old exercise, Mr Amor charged.
Nigerian Minister of Finance and Supervising Minister of the Economy Dr Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala abolished the CTN payments last year after introduction in 2010. During the two years period, NPA earned about N4.2 trillion (over 42.1trn/-). The CTN is common amongst the French speaking African countries.
Source: allafrica.com/stories/201307170059.html
Sumatra acting Director General, Captain King Chiragi, has invited for a meeting today representatives from the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA), Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association (TFFA), Tanzania Shipping Agents Association (TSAA), Commissioner of Customs and Excise and the Ministry of Transport.
"We have received from TASAA a letter with Ref HS/ TASAA/TPA/130712 dated July 12, 2013 on the above mentioned subject matter, considering the points and concerns expressed in the letter, Sumatra has decided to call for a meeting involving TASAA, TPA, TRA and TAFFA to deliberate on issues relevant to introduction and implementation of the electronic cargo tracking system," Capt Chiragi said.
Chiragi said the meeting will particularly address issues raised by TASAA against TPA's unilateral decision to pick a Belgian based company, Antaser Afrique of Antwerp in Belgium for the job without floating an international tender and introducing extra costs on cargo handling at Dar es Salaam port which will make it less competitive in the region.
"The contract shows that the shipper or freight forwarder will have to pay a fee at the port of loading which is contrary to TPA claims, that it simply wants to offer services and improve cargo shipping services," said an official from Taffa.
Stakeholders led by TASAA are opposed to the new initiative which is imposed without consultations with stakeholders and the regulator, Sumatra. Meanwhile, details are emerging that introduction of ECTS in Nigeria in 2010 was met with fierce resistance as stakeholders branded the whole exercise as adding unnecessary costs and benefiting a few federal government elites.
Voicing his frustration at the controversial introduction of cargo tracking notes (CTN) in an article published by Nigerian Daily Independent, Dan Amor wrote, "In fact, the NPA (Nigeria Ports Authority) is believed to be employing arbitrary means to impose a regime of multiple taxation on operators in the maritime industry."
Almost a year after stakeholders in the industry have been calling on the NPA to account for the huge amount of money made from the Cargo Tracking Notes (CTN), the authority is still at large. Following the scrapping of the controversial payment system by the Federal Government in the third quarter of 2011, players in the industry are still clamouring for NPA to give account of proceeds from the two year old exercise, Mr Amor charged.
Nigerian Minister of Finance and Supervising Minister of the Economy Dr Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala abolished the CTN payments last year after introduction in 2010. During the two years period, NPA earned about N4.2 trillion (over 42.1trn/-). The CTN is common amongst the French speaking African countries.
Source: allafrica.com/stories/201307170059.html