Access Bank network failure traps cargo at Lagos ports, clearing agents lament

Clearing agents operating at the Lagos ports have called out Acess Bank Plc over a persistent network failure that has halted the payment of Customs duties on imported cargoes for over 72 hours.

National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Emmanuel Onyeme who raised the alarm said the payment challenge has persisted since Monday and remain unresolved as of Wednesday.

Speaking in a chat with Maritime Today Online, Onyeme explained that while other duty- collecting banks, including First Bank and Zenith Bank remain operational and are successful processing payment through the Nigeria Customs Service B’Odogwu platform, Access Bank has falsely blamed the challenge on the B’Odogwu platform.

He said the situation has led to cargoes trapped inside the port with accumulated demurrage already on them.

He said, “Access babk duty payment has not been going since Monday. Up till now 72 hours nothing has been done by Access bank. I submitted assessment since 9:am on Monday and to this very time, the bank is claiming that it is B’odogwu whereas other banks are working. . .. First Bank, Zenith, other banks are working but their own network has been down since Monday and we can’t pay our duty. They are claiming the problem is B’odogwu but it is not true.

“As we speak, there has not been any official communication from Access bank till this moment. Their regional manager called that they are trying to resolve it but when you get to the bank they will tell you that it is B’odogwu platform. Are the other banks not using B’odogwu platform and they have been working,…

“We are going to suffer accumulation of demmurage through shipping companies and terminal charges. To this very moment, they have not come out to issue any statement to tell us their challenges, ” Onyeme lamented.