NSC Recovers N5m For Aggrieved Shippers

Indicative of the seriousness it attaches to executing its brief of protecting the interest of shippers, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) says it recovered a total of N5, 228,536.03 for aggrieved shippers between January and June, this year.

The amount was recovered from 33 cases reported to the NSC’s Complaints Unit out a total of 56 cases it received.

Deputy Director, Public Relations of NSC, Mr. Ignatius Nweke, said the claims were recovered from damaged cargo, refusal to refund excess payment rent due to overrating, exorbitant charges above storages and charges on demurrage after return of empty containers.

Others are charges higher than required amount on 40-foot container, alleged over-invoicing, unjustifiable delay on container deposit refund and excessive charges on imported cargoes.

Established over three decades ago by a decree, the NSC was saddled with the responsibility of protecting the interest of Nigerian importers and exporters.

In realising this objective, the NSC established the Shippers’ Compliant Unit, where complaints from exporters and importers are received and subsequently followed up for recovery of monies where applicable.

And just recently. the NSC, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the International Police Organisation (Interpol), nabbed a suspected fraudster believed to be a Briton, who allegedly poses as an Iceland-based stock fish dealer, and goes by a number of names including Mike Harding and Nigel Francis. The suspect was alleged to have fraudulently duped a group of stock fish importers based in Aba, Abia State to the tune of $774,477.

—Esther Komolafe