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FG urged to shun critics of cargo tracking note

By BusinessNews Staff on December 1, 2015

Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) has advised the federal government to disregard the opposition against the reintroduction of Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) by some trade groups, including Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).

IMAN said those who are kicking against the CTN have not taking into consideration the huge economic and security benefits that will accrue from the scheme.

Describing the critics as selfish and myopic, President of the association, Dr. Osita Okereke said that the scheme will expose decades of excess charges by multinational shipping lines and other unscrupulous importers in the country.

In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, Okereke said apart from economic benefits to the nation, CTN will provide relevant information that will help check maritime security threats caused by carriage of cargo through the sea, air and land borders.

He said that among other benefits, CTN is good for Nigeria in terms of safety and security, adding that its introduction will not have additional economic cost to shippers and end-users.

He argued that those against the introduction of CTN have a hidden agenda and were those likely to be involved in trade malpractices through which government loses a lot of revenue from the ports.

According to him, MAN and others have no reason to worry since the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has explained that CTN will not have any additional cost to the shippers.

He said that one good reason why some members of MAN were apprehensive about CTN was the fact that it will expose false declaration.

Okereke said: “It is our candid advice that the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) should embrace the principle of genuine cargo declaration and encourage their cargo consolidators to comply with the CTN guidelines. CTN does not attract cost in its implementation. On the part of the government, we sincerely advise that issues of energy should be further accelerated with vigor, so that investors, manufacturers and other concerned stakeholders will not hide under epileptic power supply to blackmail or intimidate anybody. The world is about free market enterprises and operations. Your Excellency, for God’s sake, may we know what Manufacturer Association of Nigeria (MAN) has been able to do in helping these agencies of the government to achieve set objectives? We shall begin to take them serious only when we see them contribute to the welfare and logistics needs of agencies of the government rather than what they will get at all times.

“One would begin to wonder where the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria really belongs. The Importers Association of Nigeria and a host of the informal sector groups are worried over their trade set back’s occasioned by the deceit and pampering of this so-called organized private sector.

Director, Commercial Shipping Services of the NSC , Mrs. Dabney Shall-Holma had in an interview with newsmen said that the charges as published by some manufacturers as additional cost on imports and exports have nothing to do with the shippers or importers but shipping lines.

According to her, it was wrong to say that CTN will attract additional cost to shippers that are importing or exporting goods at the moment, adding that rather, “CTN comes from payments that are already payable per consignment”.

Shall-Holma had also explained: “the charges as published was a notice to guide shipping companies, lines and agencies in their preparation of their Movement Reference Number(MRN) which is the document they are supposed to prepare after the Entry Summary Number(ENS) has been filled in by the shipper. The ENS is completed by the shipper and it is at no cost, which means the shipper does not pay anything.”

[ThisDay]

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