ECONOMIC REGULATOR:

The immediate past Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council; Capt Adamu Biu has expressed happiness over the new status of the Council as the ports’ economic regulator.
Capt Biu who left the Council about 16 months ago after serving for  eight years told Shipping Position Daily exclusively last week in Lagos, that he was particularly excited that, what he and his then-management team aspired but failed to secure for the Council has finally been given to it.

The immediate past Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council; Capt Adamu Biu has expressed happiness over the new status of the Council as the ports’ economic regulator.
Capt Biu who left the Council about 16 months ago after serving for  eight years told Shipping Position Daily exclusively last week in Lagos, that he was particularly excited that, what he and his then-management team aspired but failed to secure for the Council has finally been given to it.
According to him, no other agency is better qualified to regulate affairs of actors in the nation’s port system. It is the most neutral in among all the contenders for the role, he stated.
He said the Shippers’ Council is also up to the task to be able to determine issues dispassionately and superintend all players effectively and fairly.
“I am very, very excited, I worked at it for four years, and if my successor can get in 12 months, it’s a thing of joy”.
He also acknowledged that the council may require more training for its employees, but also disclosed that even before he exited the Council, efforts were already being made in that direction.  
He however advised that the Council must try to carry every stakeholders along in the new assignment, even as he alleged that the most fraudulent group are the freight forwarders, whom according to him, are ready to exploit the importer and even the system to their own pecuniary advantage.
 According to him, majority of licensed customs agents are quite knowledgeable and honest, he however stated that it is the tiny percentage that is responsible for the havocs that have been traced to freight forwarders over the years.
Captain Biu however disagreed that the assignment given to the can be executed within one year.
He also predicted that the Port and Harbour as well as National Transport Commission Bills would not be passed in one year.
The minister of transport had recently clarified that, the Shippers Council would only cat as commercial regulator for one year.
“You know how these things work, how many years have those bills have been at the National Assembly, going back and forth”.
He argued that there is no way the Shippers’ Council can do a good job in one year, even as he suggested that the Council should be allowed sufficient time to concentrate on its new assignment.