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, Hassan Bello, said this at a seminar on “Compliance to trade laws by shippers, clearing agents at seaports and borders posts,” in Onitsha.
Bello said there was an ongoing crusade to sanitise the shipping industry from corrupt practices occasioned by unpatriotic conduct, 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 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, 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.
In a lecture, 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 a 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 Vincent Nwani, spoke on the topic “International/Domestic Laws, Guidelines and Regulations: Benefits of Compliance by the trading community”.
