Njengoko imeko yokuxinana kweenqanawa ingasayi kuphucuka kwixesha elifutshane, kwaye inokuba mandundu ngakumbi, iindleko zothutho akulula ukuziqikelela. Ukuze kuthintelwe iingxabano ezingeyomfuneko, kucetyiswa ukuba zonke iinkampani zokuthumela ngaphandle zisayine izivumelwano ze-FOB kangangoko xa kuthengiswa neNigeria, kwaye icala laseNigeria linoxanduva. Yenza uthutho kunye ne-inshurensi. Ukuba uthutho kufuneka luthwalwe sithi, kucetyiswa ukuba siqwalasele ngokupheleleyo izinto ezibangela ukuba iNigeria ivalelwe kwaye sandise ikowuteshini.

Ngenxa yokuxinana okukhulu kweenqanawa, inani elikhulu leempahla zeekhonteyina ezivalelekileyo libangela ingxaki ekusebenzeni kweenqanawa zaseLagos. Izibuko lixinene, inani elikhulu leekhonteyina ezingenanto zivaleleke phesheya kweelwandle, ixabiso lokuthuthwa kweempahla linyuke ngama-600%, malunga neekhonteyina ezingama-4,000 ziya kuthengiswa kwifandesi, kwaye abarhwebi bamanye amazwe bayangxama.

Ngokutsho kweWest Africa China Voice News, kwiindawo ezixakekileyo eNigeria, iTinCan Island Port kunye neApapa Port eLagos, ngenxa yokuxinana kwemithwalo yezibuko, ubuncinane iinqanawa ezingama-43 ezizele yimithwalo eyahlukeneyo zivaleleke emanzini aseLagos.

Ngenxa yokuma kweekhonteyina, iindleko zokuthutha iimpahla zinyuke ngama-600%, kwaye iintengiselwano zokungenisa nokuthumela impahla eNigeria nazo ziye zangena kwisiphithiphithi. Abathumeli abaninzi bayakhalaza kodwa akukho ndlela. Ngenxa yendawo encinci echwebeni, iinqanawa ezininzi azikwazi ukungena nokukhulula impahla kwaye zihlala elwandle kuphela.

Ngokwengxelo ye-“Guardian”, kwizibuko lase-Apapa, enye indlela yokungena ivaliwe ngenxa yokwakhiwa, ngelixa iilori zipakwe kumacala omabini endlela yokungena, nto leyo eshiya indlela emxinwa kuphela yezithuthi. Imeko kwizibuko laseTinCan Island iyafana. Iikhonteyina zihlala kuzo zonke iindawo. Enye yeendlela eziya kwizibuko iyakhiwa. Oonogada babiza imali kubangenisi. Ikhonteyina ethuthwa kwiikhilomitha ezingama-20 ukuya ngaphakathi elizweni iya kubiza i-US$4,000.

Izibalo zamva nje ezivela kwi-Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) zibonisa ukuba kukho iinqanawa ezili-10 ezima kwizibuko lase-Apapa kwindawo yokumisa inqanawa eLagos. Kwi-TinCan, iinqanawa ezingama-33 zivaleleke kwindawo yokumisa inqanawa ngenxa yendawo encinci yokukhupha impahla. Ngenxa yoko, kukho iinqanawa ezingama-43 ezilinde indawo yokumisa inqanawa kwizibuko laseLagos kuphela. Kwangaxeshanye, kulindeleke ukuba iinqanawa ezintsha ezingama-25 zifike kwizibuko lase-Apapa.

Lo mthombo ngokucacileyo ukhathazekile ngale meko waza wathi: “Kwisiqingatha sokuqala salo nyaka, iindleko zokuthumela ikhonteyina engama-20 eemitha ukusuka eMpuma Ekude ukuya eNigeria yayiyi-US$1,000. Namhlanje, iinkampani zokuthumela zihlawulisa phakathi kwe-US$5,500 kunye ne-US$6,000 ngenkonzo efanayo. Ukuxinana kweenqanawa okwangoku kuye kwanyanzela ezinye iinkampani zokuthumela imithwalo ukuba zithumele imithwalo eNigeria ziye kwiizibuko ezikufutshane eCotonou naseCôte d'Ivoire.

Ngenxa yokuxinana okukhulu kwezibuko, inani elikhulu leempahla zeekhonteyina ezivalelekileyo lichaphazela kakhulu ukusebenza kwezibuko laseLagos eNigeria.

Ngenxa yesi sizathu, abachaphazelekayo kushishino bacele urhulumente welizwe ukuba athengise malunga neekhonteyina ezingama-4,000 ukuze kuncitshiswe ukuxinana kwizibuko laseLagos.

Abathathi-nxaxheba kwingxoxo yesizwe bacele uMongameli uMuhammadu Buhari kunye neKomiti yoLawulo yeFederal (FEC) ukuba bayalele iNigeria Customs (NSC) ukuba ithengise iimpahla ngokwe-Customs and Cargo Management Act (CEMA).

Kuyaqondakala ukuba malunga neekhonteyina ezingama-4,000 zishiywe lixesha zibambeke kwezinye iiterminal zePort of Apapa kunye neTinkan eLagos.

Oku akubanga nje ukuxinana kwamazibuko kwaye kwachaphazela ukusebenza kakuhle, kodwa kwanyanzela abathumeli ukuba bathwale iindleko ezininzi ezongezelelweyo ezinxulumene noko. Kodwa amasiko endawo abonakala ngathi ayalahleka.

Ngokwemigaqo yendawo, ukuba iimpahla zihlala echwebeni kangangeentsuku ezingaphezu kwama-30 ngaphandle kokufumana imvume yerhafu, ziya kuhlelwa njengeempahla eziphelelwe lixesha.

Kuyaqondakala ukuba imithwalo emininzi echwebeni laseLagos ibanjwe iintsuku ezingaphezu kwama-30, elona xesha lide liyiminyaka esi-7, kwaye inani lemithwalo ebelilindelwe liyaqhubeka lisanda.

Ngenxa yoku, abachaphazelekayo bacele ukuba iimpahla zithengiswe ngokuhambelana nemigaqo yomthetho wolawulo lwempahla nerhafu.

Umntu ovela kwi-Association of Nigerian Chartered Customs Agents (ANLCA) uthe abanye abathumeli bempahla baye bashiya iimpahla ezixabisa amashumi ezigidi zeerandi (malunga namakhulu ezigidi zeerandi). “Isikhongozeli esineempahla ezixabisekileyo asikhange sibangwe kangangeenyanga ezininzi, kwaye i-customs ayikazithumeli ngaphandle kwezibuko. Le ndlela yokungakhathali iyadanisa kakhulu.”

Iziphumo zophando lwentlangano zibonisa ukuba imithwalo elahlekileyo okwangoku ithatha ngaphezulu kwe-30% yemithwalo iyonke kwizibuko zaseLagos. “Urhulumente unoxanduva lokuqinisekisa ukuba izibuko alinamithwalo esemva kwexesha kwaye libonelela ngeekhonteyina ezaneleyo ezingenanto.”

Ngenxa yeengxaki zeendleko, abanye abangenisi basenokuba baphelelwe ngumdla wokususa ezi mpahla, kuba ukususwa kwerhafu kuya kubangela ilahleko ezininzi, kuquka nentlawulo yedemurrage. Ke ngoko, abangenisi banokuzishiya ngokuzithandela ezi mpahla.