Declares Zero Tolerance For Non-Compliance

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has declared that it will commence the closure of operational offices of port operators and users  who fail to comply with its e-registration policy and processes.

The Executive Secretary/CEO of NSC, Pius Akutah, gave the warning during the sensitization workshop of NSC e-registration of port operators and users, yesterday.

Represented by the Director, of Consumers Services of the Council, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah explained that port service operators and users who have registered with the NSC will be avail relevant information to aid their operations.

The Council boss emphasized that for now, NSC will continue the sensitization of stakeholders on the need for registration; but stressed that they will soon commence enforcement of the law which will include the closure of operational offices.

The Council disclosed  only 185 port service providers and users have so far registered. He stressed that the Council will continue its enlightenment campaign before it will commence enforcement of the law by the beginning of the fourth quarter.

He noted that at the end of the exercise, a comprehensive list of registered operators and users will be published on the Council’s website, stressing that only those on the list would be deemed qualified to operate in the nation’s maritime environment.

“This has been an ongoing service, and this sensitization has taken us to Calabar, Port Harcourt, and Warri. This is the first one we are doing in Lagos. This particular sensitization is for terminal operators, shipping companies, terminal operators and Stevedoring companies”.

“In 2015, the Council was appointed Port Economic Regulator and the mandate given to the council was to develop a regulatory regime for the control of tariff rates, charges and other economic activities. In doing this, one of its roles is to register all service providers in the sector.

“Registration is compulsory, we have gone through the list of those registered with the Council and we have realized that many people are yet to register with us. Shippers Council believes in persuasion and not coercion, but when we discover that the level of compliance is low, we might be forced to uphold the law, because there are certain provisions that prescribes punishment for non-registration.

“One of the benefits of registration is passing of information. Also in the past, people bring in offensive goods at the ports and upon investigation, they will say they were imported by faceless Shippers. But after this registration, the issue of faceless Shippers will become a thing of the past” he said.