The nation’s porteconomic regulator, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, has commenced moves to expose terminal operatorsand shipping companies still involved in the collection of illegal chargeson port users despite the order ofthe federal high court delivered last month.
To this end, the Council in collaboration with importersand the various customsbrokers/freightforwarders has directed the compilation ofsuch collections of illegal charges with evidence fromthem by the terminal operators and shipping companies.
The Council’s decision is not unconnectedwith allegation that the terminal operators have been collecting those chargeswhich the Federal High Court Ikoyi stoppedthem from collecting in Decemberlast year.
Vanguard gathered that the NSC is considering eitherto publish the namesof offendersor head back to law court.However, a source at theCouncil said that it intendsto bring the full weight of thelaw against all those who chose togo contrary to thecourt order but was not forthcoming on exactly what the action would be.
The sourceexplained that at the right time all illegal charges collectedby the affectedshipping companies and terminal operators would be refunded. He advised those affectedto continueto compile the evidence.
The sourcealso said that the Council has directedit’s Consumer Complaints Unit, CCU, tovisit all the portswith the aim of interacting with importersand customsbrokers to obtain from them evidence ofthe illegal charges being collectedby the shipping companies and terminal operators.
Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Hassan Bello, said that hehas so muchto sayon the issue but stressedthat he cannotcommenton it because the matteris in courtReacting to the above, President ofNigerian Shippers’ Association, Jonathan Nicol argued that since theshipping companies and terminal operators applied to the courtfor ‘stay of executionof the order’ afterthe judgment, they ought tohave waited until theirapplication is granted.
[Vanguard]
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