INDUSTRY watchers have put what Nigeria lost to its four-day Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) inspired nationwide strike at over N9 billion in the maritime sector alone.
The experts also warned that unless the new terminal operators waived the demurrage that must have accumulated during the strike, the country might be set for inflation since importers would transfer whatever additional cost incurred to the final consumers.
This was the consensus of opinion which emerged after speaking with industry operators which included the Indigenous Shipowners Association of Nigeria Chairman, Chief Isaac Jolapamo; the national president, Nigerian Master Mariners Association, Captain Ernest Ishola; immediate NAMM President, Captain Niyi Adeyemo; seasoned cargo importers, Chief O.A Adegbola and Mazi Anthony Emeordi.
Captain Ishola said that if the value of the nation�s losses, particularly in the area of petroleum product lifting was added, the actual cost would be around N50 billion per day.
The experts observed that the strike had induced another round of ship build-up within the nation�s waters, and noted that if the strike had stretched beyond Tuesday, some vessel masters might have considered diverting the ships to neighbouring ports.
Emphasising that most revenues from the maritime sector were usually in foreign currency, the experts said the country, through the Nigerian Ports Authority, lost earnings from ship pilotage, the NIMASA, its statutory three per cent collections, and the Customs, the revenues from duty, fees and other collections.
�Take the ships for instance. It cost some of them over $10, 000 per day to run; now calculate how many of them we had there which did nothing but wait for us to end the strike. And there were several of them. The issue here is much more than the value of man-hour lost during the strike.
�Now, add that to the perceivable losses which importers would record through payment of avoidable demurrage to the new terminal operators. Such environmental cost in the NPA days was written off to curb inflation; these new terminal operators are not likely to overlook that.�
Though the suspension of the strike took effect from Saturday, investigation by the Nigerian Tribune showed that nothing was on the ground on Sunday to suggest that work would begin until possibly today.
Also, major airlines in the country are already counting their losses following the four-day national strike.
Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune showed that the major domestic airlines would have lost close to N2 billion depending on the frequencies and aircraft type each of them used during the period.
While some of the airlines approached by the Nigerian Tribune refused to release their figures, a chief executive of one of them, who did not want his name in print, disclosed that a frequency attracts about N2.3 billion if such airline operated with a Boeing 737-400 plane.
According to sources, an airline like Aero could only operate about 30 of its 90 frequencies during the three-day strike.
Some of the airlines on a normal day make close to N70 million while the other airlines with less traffic make between N15 million and N20 million.
Among the major local airlines badly affected by the strike are Aero, Chanchangi, Arik, Virgin Nigeria and Bellview which operate close to 30 frequencies daily each.
Like the local airlines, the foreign airlines also refused to disclose how much they lost during the period.
While they said it was only their headquarters that could give such figures, they, however, agreed that the three-day strike was a colossal loss to them based on the low patronage they recorded.
Some of the foreign airlines which, prior to the strike carried between 200 and 300 passengers depending on aircraft type, could only carry as low as 45 passengers.
Both the local and foreign airlines unanimously agreed that the losses were colossal as they had to contend with the scarcity of aviation fuel which they said forced them to fly to neighbouring countries to refuel during the strike.
According to an airline chief executive who spoke on condition of anonymity, the Federal Government should be blamed for allowing the strike to drag on for four days.
Meanwhile, the airlines started selling tickets yesterday. When the Nigerian Tribune visited the local terminal of the airport, airlines like Aero, Chanchangi and IRS were already selling tickets.
There was low passenger traffic which observers said was due to the fact that not many people were aware that the strike had been called off.
Foreign carriers have also resumed normal operations at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport.