The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to protect Nigerian shippers against any form of extortion by service providers in the form of arbitrary charges, saying that some importers are short-changed due to lack of knowledge of the council ‘s existence.
The council, as part of its statutory role as an economic regulator also harped on need for shippers to report all genuine cases of unfair treatment suffered in the hands of shipping companies as regards their consignments.
Speaking at a one day sensitisation programme organised by the council for importers under the aegis of United Marble and Allied Dealers Association in Lagos yesterday, a top official from the Council’s Commercial Shipping Services Department; Mr Nanbol Nanle said that the job of the council is to protect the interest of the shippers.
The compliance, monitoring and enforcement division officer noted that over the years, some importers and exporters have failed to relate with the council on how to proffer solutions in resolving issues with shipping companies.
Nanle was speaking against the backdrop of issues raised by importers of tiles and marbles at the Orile market and the ordeals they face in the hands of shipping companies.
He said through the council’s protective interest for Nigeria shippers, the sensitisation programme is an eye opener for them to see reasons to report all genuine cases associated with their business.
The official added that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is bringing its services to the traders’ doorstep to ensure that there is a government institution in place to protect the interest of shippers as regards trade facilitation.
“We are bringing our services to their doorsteps, to let them know that in the case of their shipment by way of import and export they should come to Nigerian Shippers council”
“These are people that are involved in big time business of import which involves billions of Naira and most times when they have problems, they don’t know where to run to”, he noted.
Nanbol stressed that, “whenever there is problem with your consignment please don’t hesitate to lay your complaints in our office, because that is why the Nigerian Shippers’ Council was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria”
The council’s official further reiterated that, “if you run into problems in the process of your import and you don’t know where to go, the chances of being ripped-off will be there, but as an outcome of the workshop, we have asked them to come to us with any problem”
“Even before they commit themselves business wise as regards import and export they should consult us because their headache is our headache, “,he stated.
Speaking earlier, President of the United Marble and Allied Dealers Association, Mr Iyke Onyekwelu said that the enlightenment campaign was an eye opener for traders and importers, saying that local manufacturers of such items, especially granite and tiles cannot meet the demand of the consumers.
He called on the Nigerian Shippers Council for more awareness programme, saying that the traders now have who to run to when the need arises.
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