The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has disclosed that over 6,000 stakeholders in shipping are already complying with the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN), even as it stated that there will be stiff penalties for those who failed to comply with the newly-introduced scheme.
Deputy Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Nigerian Shippers Council; Chief Cajetan Agu gave the figure yesterday while presenting the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN)at an awareness clinic for importers at the international Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.
According to him, by January 1, 2016, any vessel that fails to comply with the ICTN will be penalised.
He told the audience that: "For now, we are not telling the service providers what the penalties are but when we get to the bridge we will cross it "
"There will be penalties and the government is working out something to that effect"
"They are complying because, on the platform we have about 6000 service providers that have registered and you will agree with me that 6000 is not a small number”, he added.
Addressing the traders and importers, the director explained that "the CTN will check fraudulent practices by importers and their accomplice adding that under declaration of concealments which is a common issue at the port will be address. "
"It will assist the Nigeria Customs Service in risk profiling, assessment and valuation", he added.
Agu also added that the purpose of CTN is also to track what type of goods that are coming into the country and at the same time provide statistical data on import and export.
The told the gathering that CTN or Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) has an official loading certificate or shipping documents that contains information related to cargo and its movement between the ports.
He however advised importers to enlighten their overseas suppliers on the need to properly capture all goods coming to Nigeria on the ICTN or ACD platform as cargoes not captured will be fined and subsequently delay to clearing such cargoes.
Also enlightening the traders, maritime lawyer, Barrister Osuala Nwagbara persuaded the importers to appreciate such forum whereby enlightenment is key.
He also described the importers and traders who were in attendance as qualitative audience , saying that the turnout was encouraging.
He also advised the council to put in place aggressive campaign strategy for future enlightenment programmes for traders and importers.
Also speaking Chief Executive Officer of Aulic Nigeria Limited, Professor Nick Eze urged the council to put in place measures to further create awareness of such programme, adding that the timing was short.
He called on traders to change their attitude towards such educative programme that is beneficial to their kind of business.
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