Stakeholders Applaud Shippers Council for Deploying Personnel to Monitor Activities of Shipping Companies
*Say such moves will check frivolous charges as Christmas nears
By Francis Ugwoke
Stakeholders Tuesday applauded the management of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) for deploying its personnel to shipping companies to monitor their activities.
Some of the industry stakeholders who spoke to SHIPPING DAY said it was a bold and most effective way to keep the shipping companies on their toes at such a critical period of Christmas season.
President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Iju Tony Nwabunike, said it was a good development to protect the interest of shippers and Nigerians.
Nwabunike said except for the move, the shipping companies would be in the temptation of milking Nigerian shippers with frivolous charges.
The ANLCA President urged the personnel posted to the terminals to keep their doors open so that aggrieved importers or customs agents who have noticed illegal charges from the shipping companies can reach them for complaints.
Nwabunike described the action of the Council as proactive with the Christmas and New Year close by, adding that most times shipping services providers hide under some covers to introduce charges.
Similarly, the former President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Eugene Nweke also in a separate chat with SHIPPING DAY said the Council has always demonstrated the determination to save shippers from the outrageous actions of shipping service providers.
Nweke said if the shipping companies were not checked by the ports economic regulator, they would impose a lot of charges that will affect trade facilitation and make things difficult at this critical time of the nation’s economy.
He commended the Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello for the visit to the shipping companies where some of the complaists raised by shippers were discussed.
“The management team of the NSC have always demonstrated exemplary leadership. Their visit to some of the shipping companies where some of the issues that freight forwarders are suffering in the ports were discussed is wonderful. We are happy about this development and we know that shipping companies who planned to introduce any new charges would be careful in doing so”, he said.
Bello had also visited some of the shipping companies to caution them against over complaints brought against them by shippers.
He described the visit as a routine, adding that some complaints brought against the shipping companies were discussed.
He also explained that the decision to post staff to the shipping companies and terminals was to ensure that the shippers do not continue to suffer hardship.
He said the staff posted to the shipping companies and terminals would ensure that those who come to clear goods are treated with satisfaction
He said some customers of the shipping companies had complained over their dissatisfaction with their operations and actions.
Bello who spoke to newsmen during the visit to CMA CGM and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), said, “We know there are some issues and from time to time we need to discuss them especially now that we are in the peak season so to say, the Christmas and New Year delivery.
He added, “NSC has received a lot of complaints concerning the delivery of cargo especially the cost of doing business which has gone up astronomically in the country”.
While at CMA CGM, Bello said he was happy with the level of automation in the company put at 63 percent.
According to him, this would make the shippers happy since it will facilitate quick clearance of their cargoes without so much stress.
He expressed optimism that by the next assessment, the company would have risen to the level of 80 or 100 percent in automation.
He also said that it was not only the shipping companies that are required to embrace total automation but also shippers.
Bello also identified some issues being faced at the ports, adding that the cost of doing business cannot be attributed to only the shipping companies and terminals.
He said the problem include failure of infrastructure as the roads leading to the ports were bad and therefore created difficulties in evacuation of goods.
He noted that the construction of the roads leading to Tin can Port from Oshodi Apapa was a little bit slow and urged the government to pay more attention to it.
He assured that with the plan to link Apapa port with rail, the problem of gridlock would soon be over once the construction of the roads are completed.
He said, “We know that people are facing much hardship but I am urging them to have an optimistic view like I have, that by March 2021 we will turn to normalcy.
“All these charges are because of these disruptions; there has never been any increase in charges of shipping company neither is there in terminal operators or other service providers but they are under the table charges.
“There is so much extortion by truck drivers and the shippers’ council is doing a lot in ensuring that this is reduced to minimum”.
By Francis Ugwoke
Stakeholders Tuesday applauded the management of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) for deploying its personnel to shipping companies to monitor their activities.
Some of the industry stakeholders who spoke to SHIPPING DAY said it was a bold and most effective way to keep the shipping companies on their toes at such a critical period of Christmas season.
President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Iju Tony Nwabunike, said it was a good development to protect the interest of shippers and Nigerians.
Nwabunike said except for the move, the shipping companies would be in the temptation of milking Nigerian shippers with frivolous charges.
The ANLCA President urged the personnel posted to the terminals to keep their doors open so that aggrieved importers or customs agents who have noticed illegal charges from the shipping companies can reach them for complaints.
Nwabunike described the action of the Council as proactive with the Christmas and New Year close by, adding that most times shipping services providers hide under some covers to introduce charges.
Similarly, the former President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Eugene Nweke also in a separate chat with SHIPPING DAY said the Council has always demonstrated the determination to save shippers from the outrageous actions of shipping service providers.
Nweke said if the shipping companies were not checked by the ports economic regulator, they would impose a lot of charges that will affect trade facilitation and make things difficult at this critical time of the nation’s economy.
He commended the Executive Secretary, Mr Hassan Bello for the visit to the shipping companies where some of the complaists raised by shippers were discussed.
“The management team of the NSC have always demonstrated exemplary leadership. Their visit to some of the shipping companies where some of the issues that freight forwarders are suffering in the ports were discussed is wonderful. We are happy about this development and we know that shipping companies who planned to introduce any new charges would be careful in doing so”, he said.
Bello had also visited some of the shipping companies to caution them against over complaints brought against them by shippers.
He described the visit as a routine, adding that some complaints brought against the shipping companies were discussed.
He also explained that the decision to post staff to the shipping companies and terminals was to ensure that the shippers do not continue to suffer hardship.
He said the staff posted to the shipping companies and terminals would ensure that those who come to clear goods are treated with satisfaction
He said some customers of the shipping companies had complained over their dissatisfaction with their operations and actions.
Bello who spoke to newsmen during the visit to CMA CGM and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), said, “We know there are some issues and from time to time we need to discuss them especially now that we are in the peak season so to say, the Christmas and New Year delivery.
He added, “NSC has received a lot of complaints concerning the delivery of cargo especially the cost of doing business which has gone up astronomically in the country”.
While at CMA CGM, Bello said he was happy with the level of automation in the company put at 63 percent.
According to him, this would make the shippers happy since it will facilitate quick clearance of their cargoes without so much stress.
He expressed optimism that by the next assessment, the company would have risen to the level of 80 or 100 percent in automation.
He also said that it was not only the shipping companies that are required to embrace total automation but also shippers.
Bello also identified some issues being faced at the ports, adding that the cost of doing business cannot be attributed to only the shipping companies and terminals.
He said the problem include failure of infrastructure as the roads leading to the ports were bad and therefore created difficulties in evacuation of goods.
He noted that the construction of the roads leading to Tin can Port from Oshodi Apapa was a little bit slow and urged the government to pay more attention to it.
He assured that with the plan to link Apapa port with rail, the problem of gridlock would soon be over once the construction of the roads are completed.
He said, “We know that people are facing much hardship but I am urging them to have an optimistic view like I have, that by March 2021 we will turn to normalcy.
“All these charges are because of these disruptions; there has never been any increase in charges of shipping company neither is there in terminal operators or other service providers but they are under the table charges.
“There is so much extortion by truck drivers and the shippers’ council is doing a lot in ensuring that this is reduced to minimum”.
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