Ports: Shippers’ Council Boss Warns Against Arbitrary Charges, Insists on Clarity, Justification of Shipping Charges
NSC CEO
• access into terminals
By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has warned against arbitrary charges by terminal operators or shipping companies.
Unbridled
The Executive Secretary of the ports economic regulator, Mr Emmanuel Jime issued the warning during a visit to APMT, Apapa, one of the terminal operators at the Lagos seaport.
Jime told the management of the terminal operator that the federal government was against any form of arbitrariness in charges at the ports.
He said that the terminal operators as well as others must be clear about their charges, adding that the expectation was for very charge or tariff to come under a heading showing the service being rendered.
Jime also stressed the need for the terminal operators to allow the staff of the ports economic regulator every access into the terminals as they come for their official operations or visit.
He explained that all the Council was after was to do its job and ensure that arbitrariness in charges come under check.
He also explained that this was in line with the demand of the federal government that every tariff heading must not just be justified but services offered clearly identifiable.
According to Jime, “What we request of you, is that the Shippers Council team must have unfettered access, when on official duty.
“We will also like to request that information be provided to us: especially, Statistics and data because we may need this in order for us to adequately advise the Nigerian Government, as far as the industry is concerned.
“I have not been around this place enough yet, to say whether you have this already but, I will just mention it, in case of the things that are to be put in place; the Customer Care Desk is one, which will now work with the Shippers Council.
“That, I believe will help us handle complaints; and it is very needed, as far as serving the Industry is concerned”, Jime stated, stressing his concern on the importance of services being cost-effective.
“Of course, as part of our core mandate, we are concerned about Cost, particularly how we moderate Cost.
“We can’t come here without discussing cost-related issues.
“As we all know prices of commodities, goods and services have skyrocketed and the evidence is seen; and that is what poverty has done to humanity.
“So, we urge APMT to partner with us, on ways and means of bringing down the cost of doing business.
“In other words, we are asking that all cost tariff- headings must be justified; and that is an honourable request!”,
“Services, obviously need to be rendered adequately and timely; and I think that also goes to impacts ultimately, on the way cost impacts business”.
He also pointed out the need for enhanced digitalization of terminals, adding that this will reduced human contact at the ports.
He said, “The lesser you have human interface in the business space, the better.”
The NSC had during the event identified some illegality on the part of the APMT terminal.
The Director, Consumer Affairs of the Council. Chief Agu Cajetan, said the terminal operator comply with the registration requirements of the Council.
Agu said that until this was done, some of its operations would be regarded as illegal.
In his response, Klaus Laursen, assured that his management team was all out to ensure that the terminal was not found wanting in areas of expectations from the government.
He said the terminal was all out to exceed necessary expectations from the government, adding that there was room for improvement as measure were already in place to ensure this.
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