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Lagos Shippers threaten to vacate Shippers’Council accommodation over ill-treatment

Jonathan Nicole, President, SAL
—condemn leadership style of Jime

Eyewitness reporter

The Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS) has threatened to vacate the office accommodation it occupies in the Shippers Plaza, Apapa.

The building belongs to the Nigerian Shippers’Council which houses its headquarters.
However, the agitated Lagos Shippers, who are aggrieved by what they described as the ill-treatment and disdain with which the authority of the Shippers’Council treat them, believed that moving out of the office accommodation given by the Council to house their association office will confer on them the much-sought respect and dignity they deserve.
In a press conference held in Lagos yesterday, Kayode Farinto, the newly appointed Publicity Secretary of  Lagos Shippers Association, lamented that Nigerian Shippers have not received a fair deal from the Nigerian Shippers’Council, an agency statutorily charged to protect the interests of Nigerian Shippers.
Farinto stated that the agency has not lived to the expectations of the Shippers in this regard.
He lamented that the hapless Nigerian shipper has been variously and wickedly exposed and subjected to mindless extortion from Nigeria Customs Service, terminal operators, shipping companies, and has been a victim of other forms of trade malpractices.
“You people know that the Shippers Council currently accommodates Shippers in Lagos.
“We were given accommodation on the second floor of the NSC headquarters. You people need to visit that place to see the kind of accommodation that the NSC has given us.
“Due to this poor arrangement and lack of adequate projection, we have come to a conclusion that for us to be widely heard and listened to, the Shippers Association of Lagos State might move out of the NSC headquarters this year” Farinto declared.
“We have made a lot of complaints, but it looks as if maybe because we are a tenant at the NSC, nobody listens to us.
” So, maybe if we get an independent accommodation where nobody pays our rent except ourselves, maybe people in authority will listen to us more.”
The spokesman for the Lagos Shippers association said an average Nigerian Shipper has been the one holding the short end of the stick in trade transactions at the ports.
“Whether anybody likes it or not, the man that receives the highest blow in the import value chain is the shipper.
“When there are barriers in trade, the man that suffers most is the shipper. It is unfortunate that the Federal Government is paying lip service to trade facilitation.
” Last year, Nigeria nearly entered into recession because we don’t produce anything and as an import-dependent economy, we need to have trade facilitation at our ports,” Farinto said.
He further declared that the Shippers have not felt the impact of the incumbent Executive Secretary of NSC, Emmanuel Jime, since he came to the Council and that the new helmsman has further subjected Nigerian Shippers to increased humiliation.
“The style of administration of the Executive Secretary of the NSC, Emmanuel Jime, is different from that of his predecessor, Hassan Bello.
“Yes, he likes doing things quietly, but we the Shippers are yet to see the results of what he has been doing since he came on board seven months ago.

“If Hadiza Bala Usman can come to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and start achieving in 90 days, why can the NSC Executive Secretary? He is not a greenhorn in the maritime industry.

“Maybe it’s too early to start rating the man, but Shippers have been treated with disdain since he came on board. Shippers have not been given the right recognition and cooperation that is expected from an economic regulator.

“As Covid-19 rates worsen, restrictions might come harder.
“The man that brings in the cargoes must be protected. This year, the NSC must carry everybody along. It is important that the chicken that lays the golden egg is protected.
“The Shippers must be protected, empowered and encouraged.”
Farinto stated that the Act establishing Shippers’ Council states that it must protect Shippers but he claimed that recent indices had shown that shippers are left at the mercies of terminal operators, shipping companies and customs to exploit.

“In the NSC Act, the role of a Shipper is very clear. A Shipper is a person that brings in cargo into a port area for the cargo owner, that is the importer.

“Section 3, sub-section C of the NSC Act under number 13 states that the Nigerian Shippers Council should encourage the formulation of shippers association all over the country.
” What this means is that it is not only Lagos State that should have a Shippers Association. Every State of the federation should have a Shippers association.”

“Although, we have a national shippers association that has been formed, they have not been vibrant. Maybe they will be vibrant this year, we just pray so.

” We have looked at the role of the Shippers in the nation’s maritime industry, and have realized that we have not been carried along by the NSC in their activities.”, the Lagos Shippers alleged.

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Customs

Group confers “continental” award on Adeniyi over customs’ phenomenal revenue record

Adeniyi, CGC
Funso OLOJO
The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, C.G.C Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, has been nominated and approved to be honoured with “The Continent Man of The Year 2024” Award by Board of Editors and Publishers of Continent magazine.
This resolution was announced by the spokesman of the group, Mr David Oladimeji, at the end of group’s meeting held on Friday, September 13th, 2024 in Abuja.
The meeting was organized by” The Continent “Magazine to deliberate on a personality and organisation deserving of the Award.
The Board’s attention was drawn to the statement made recently by former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N) and sitting Governor of Anambra state, Prof Chukwuma Soludo,who told his constituents in Awka that the Customs and F.I.R.S have sustained the nation’s economy from collapse since February this year, when the NNPCL stopped remittance of statutory revenue to the Federation Account for onward disbursements to the three tiers of governments.
Oladimeji said “the Board noted that this is not an easy task to be achieved under the astute and dedicated leadership of C.G.C Adeniyi, considering the fact that the Customs and it’s officers have been perceived by the public as corrupt and fraudulent”
” In a bid to commend and encourage leaders of the customs and F.I.R.S as well as their lieutenants not to rest on their oars, the Board resolved to honour the C.G.C, his Command Controllers and Revenue Collectors who had made significant sacrifices and excelled in their national anti-smuggling, revenue collection assignments with “The Continent Man of The Year” and “Pillars of Nigerian Economy 2024″ Awards”
As plans are geared towards the  celebration of the international and national icons at a date to be announced soon, “The Continent” special edition will publish the profile and achievements of the deserving recipients that earned them recognition and honour.
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Headlines

NIMASA secures support of Bank of Industry for enhanced capacity building in maritime industry

Funso OLOJO

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has broker a partnership with  the Bank of Industry (BOI) to enhance its capacity building effort in the maritime industry.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, represented by the Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba, made this disclosure during a visit by the Management of the Bank of Industry, led by Executive Director of Large Enterprises, Mrs. Ifeoma Uz’Okpala.

 He stated, “In addition to safety, security, and maritime labor, the Agency’s mandate encompasses capacity development aimed at growing the sector.”
He also reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to collaboration as a vital tool for achieving its mandate.

“The aim is to actualize the vision of the Federal Government to reposition the maritime sector, especially with the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy”, he said.

On her part, the Executive Director of Large Enterprises at BOI, Mrs. Uz’Okpala, affirmed the Bank’s readiness to support NIMASA.

She also emphasized the importance of collaboration in implementing a robust capacity-building initiative that will contribute to economic growth in Nigeria.

Bank of Industry Limited is Nigeria’s oldest and largest Development Finance Institution (DFI) currently in operation.

It is owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) Nigeria (94.80%), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (5.19%) and private shareholders (0.01%)

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Headlines

NIMASA secures support of Bank of Industry for enhanced capacity building in maritime industry

Funso OLOJO

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has broker a partnership with  the Bank of Industry (BOI) to enhance its capacity building effort in the maritime industry.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, represented by the Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba, made this disclosure during a visit by the Management of the Bank of Industry, led by Executive Director of Large Enterprises, Mrs. Ifeoma Uz’Okpala.

 He stated, “In addition to safety, security, and maritime labor, the Agency’s mandate encompasses capacity development aimed at growing the sector.”
He also reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to collaboration as a vital tool for achieving its mandate.

“The aim is to actualize the vision of the Federal Government to reposition the maritime sector, especially with the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy”, he said.

On her part, the Executive Director of Large Enterprises at BOI, Mrs. Uz’Okpala, affirmed the Bank’s readiness to support NIMASA.

She also emphasized the importance of collaboration in implementing a robust capacity-building initiative that will contribute to economic growth in Nigeria.

Bank of Industry Limited is Nigeria’s oldest and largest Development Finance Institution (DFI) currently in operation.

It is owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) Nigeria (94.80%), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (5.19%) and private shareholders (0.01%).

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