By Ajibola Adedoye
The Electronic Call-Up System (ETO) which was designed to streamline the process of managing and controlling the movement of trucks in and out of ports in Nigeria, particularly around the Apapa port corridor in Lagos State has undoubtedly reduce congestion, improve efficiency, and enhance the overall logistics experience at the ports.
Since its inception on February 27, 2021, stakeholders in the maritime industry will attest to the fact that traffic gridlock which was the order of the day prior to this period has vanished but stakeholders in the maritime industry, especially the freight forwarders are bitterly complaining of the process which if approached differently would have better improved the process especially as it relates to ease of doing business.
On the Electronic Call-Up System and how it’s being run, Prince Eze Uchendu, Chairman, Apapa Chapter of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) opined that “the only person who is authorized to carry a clearing document is a freight forwarder who is licensed as an agent”, which is contrary to what is currently obtainable in the industry.
According to him, “When we looked at the issue of Electronic Call-Up System, under the auspices of The Joint Association of License Custom and Freight Forwarders, duly signed by the five chairmen of the accredited associations, in our resolution, we condemned the system is a clearing document and we have the opinion that the Import Guideline Procedure stipulates clearly that the only person who is authorized to carry a clearing document is a freight forwarder who is licensed as an agent, but unfortunately, the ETO Call-Up System is not working as it should because it was handed over to the truckers which is against the ethics of our profession.
“ETO Call-Up System is a clearing document which ought to be handled by an agent. So we’ve written and I’ve met the Port Manager alongside representatives of four other associations, we have even gone to see the management of Nigeria Shippers Council but nothing seems to change. When you handed ETO Call-Up System over to touts at the expense of the Freight Forwarders, what else do you expect to happen.
So, the truckers generate fake number plates and apply for Eto Call-Up Code, witht that the authorities issue them like 200 codes at around 21000 naira. When a freight forwarder apply for the same, they will deny them and say they still have about 200 people unattended to, so the truckers with 200 Eto Call-Up Code will now sell same Eto Call-Up Code they get for around 21000 naira for between 400,000 to 450,000 each. So this is the racketeering going on in the industry and I believe NPA should be aware of it. We have talked to who is who in NPA and nothing happened, if they are not getting any proceeds from this racketeering something tangible would have been done about it” Prince Uchendu alleged.
“We have even suggested that this Eto Call-Up System should be keyed and be automated in the system and to your TDO, so in the process of writing your TDO a code is generated to you, Now as a Freight Forwarder you now move with your ETO code and all other relevant clearing documents and retain the service of a trucker who you will now give the ETO, he in turn will use the ETO to go to his base and process the ETO to enable it access the port. And if that is done, if the ETO is keyed to your system to your TDO, in the process of generating the ETO, you are writing your TDO an ETO code is generated then that ETO code generated is tagged to this particular TDO to this particular container and it cannot be used for another vehicle it cannot be used to carry another good but because presently, the only thing they are using in getting this ETO is the number plates” he queried.
In her remarks, Nancy Nnamdi, Corporate Communications Manager of Trucks Transit Parks Limited while responding to the issue of ETO Call-Up System as it relates to fraud and racketing said the process of ETO Call-Up System is open to all stakeholders. She said “Rather than having paper or manifest checking which truck is about to go into the port. You have a booking system. You don’t have to meet anybody at any gate. There’s a system. You just go on the app and book. And you’re assigned based on wherever you’re going to.
“Because people are not able to separate the fact that ETO is just the technology That is making this scheduling a movement easier. Instead of trucks just queuing on the roads, As it used to be in the past, You can schedule and you’re assigned to a park or a pre-gate Until it’s time for you to actually do those reports. So that technology is working perfectly as we designed it.
“And over time, we’ve been improving it. We’ve had over 200 new features to ensure that the system is improved. Now, in terms of the sale of tickets for as high as this, I can tell you categorically that this has not been implemented. And, in fact, we don’t have verifiable evidence. I’m not trying to discredit the fact that people buy ETO Code more than the original price, what I’m saying is, there’s a platform Where tickets go for about 10,000 naira to 25,000naira depending on the category of the truck” she stated.
An official of the Nigeria Ports Authority who crave anonymity also corroborated the position of Nnamdi by saying “when a petrol product is readily available in the filling station and you chose to patronize vendors at the black market stand who chose to sell for you above the official pump price, whose fault is that?
According to him “ETO Call-Up system is open to everyone, it can be accessed via the official platform”
He however noted that the only challenge with ETO Call-Up System is the issue of network which has been improved upon lately to ensure its continuous implementation and acceptance among maritime stakeholders.