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Operators fault NPA, back Shippers Council as port regulator

By BusinessNews Staff on January 10, 2014

Operators in the maritime industry have accused the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, of neglecting their interest, even as they expressed confidence in the proposed move by the Federal Government to make the Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, the commercial regulator for port operations.

The operators noted that NPA had failed to take their interest into consideration in its decisions since the ports were concessioned years back.

National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, blamed the authority for the increase in charges few years back without involving all stakeholders as stated by the concession agreement.

According to Shittu, “It was in 2012 that the Minister of Transport through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) granted increase in storage charges in order to discourage people from using the ports for storage purposes.

“At least charges have remained constant. There is no terminal operator that will deliberately increase charges but that does not say that the charges regime at the port has the blessing of all stakeholders.

“The concession agreement states that when charges are to be adjusted, a stakeholders meeting should be called” but expressed disappointment that NPA has deliberately ignored this provisions over the years.

He however, expressed confidence in the ability of NSC to take up the responsibility of the commercial regulator for port operations, as they have all the data on port operations and cargoes in the nation’s ports.

Similarly, National Secretary, Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents, (NCMDLCA), Uchu Block, said agents and their principles have been left at the mercy of shipping companies and terminal operators.

Block stated: “We cry about this regulator issue but the thing is that when Sarunmi was in charge of NPA, he tried to regulate most of these things. When he left NPA for Nigeria Shippers Council and became the boss there, NPA and everybody came under Shippers council.

Since he left, nobody is talking about this regulator issue and we have nowhere to turn to for our problems with the shipping companies or port concessionaires.

On who should be the regulator, Block said, “We have the shippers council there and by their name, they are supposed to protect the interest of Nigerian shippers. If they are given the power to regulate and punish anybody who does not play according to rules, then I think things will improve because we would hold them responsible for any illegal charges.

Recall that a member of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Tin Can Port chapter, Patrick Okafor, who spoke with Vanguard, had accused the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) of being jobless and only interested in collecting money.

Okafor pointed out that NPA is not concerned about what is happening in the ports any more.

According to Okafor, NPA is supposed to ensure that terminal operators have the necessary cargo handling tools for effective clearance of goods but stressed that the authority seems to be more interested in revenue they generate daily from importers, shipping lines etc.

“What are they doing with the money?”, he asked.
He further called on government to take a second look at the functions of NPA to make it relevant after the concession exercise because the authority has completely lost relevance.

[Vanguard]

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