29th March, 2018
The Nigerian Shippers Council says it is collaborating with relevant government agencies to ensure compliance to trade laws, guidelines and clearance procedures in line with international best practices.
The Executive Secretary of the council, Mr Hassan Bello, said this at a seminar on “Compliance to trade laws by shippers, clearing agents at seaports and borders posts” in Onitsha on Wednesday.
Bello said there was ongoing crusade to sanitise the shipping industry from corrupt practices occasioned by unpatriotic, unprofessionalism and unwholesome attitudes of some shippers, freight forwarders and other service providers.
According to him, the council will partner with some government agencies to ensure that policies are streamlined to encourage fair trade practices, revenue generation and blockade of revenue leakages.
Bello, represented by Chief Cajetan Agu, the Deputy Director, Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Division of the Council reiterated the need to safeguard the country against importation of illicit goods.
“The resultant effects of non-compliance would invariably translate to delays in clearance of cargo, extra cost of cargo clearance, total loss of cargo, loss of credibility by shippers and freight forwarders.
“It will further translate to diversion of cargo to competing neighbouring ports and massive loss of revenue and adversely affect per capita income of the country,” he said.
In a remark, Mr Increase Uche, the National President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), lauded the Federal Government’s inauguration of the Kaduna Cargo Dry Port.
Uche however, appealed to the government to fast track those of Onitsha, Aba and Jos ports.
Mrs Ify Okolue, the South-East Zonal Coordinator of the Council, said the seminar was organised for stakeholders on realities and dangers inherent in non-compliance to rules and regulations in international trade.
Okolue assured stakeholders in the shipping sector, particular those in the South-East that the council was committed to the success of businesses through the provision of qualitative service delivery at all times.
In a lecture, Mr Muda Yusuf, the Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mines and Agriculture noted that 90 per cent of ships that brought imported goods into the country went back empty.
Yusuf urged stakeholders to always be conversant with the trending international commercial laws and custom rules.
He also called for measures to regulate the regulatory agencies noting that many of them were “clumsy”.
“It is difficult to ensure compliance in a difficult environment where the regulatory framework is overlapping and clumsy.
“There is need for legitimacy, fairness and unambiguous regulation; severity and certainty of sanctions; capacity of stakeholders to comply; and to ensure that compliance process is cheaper,” he said.
Yusuf, who was represented by Dr Vincent Nwani, spoke on the topic “International/Domestic Laws, Guidelines and Regulations: Benefits of Compliance by the trading community”.
In a welcome address, Mr Emma Akpaka, the President, Anambra Shippers’ Council, urged the agency at the national level to fast track the injection of economic life into the Onitsha River Port.
Akpaka further urged the Anambra Government to partner with the Nigerian Shippers Council on the proposed Truck Transit Park by the state government.