ZAINAB JUNAID
The Ndigboamaka Progressive Markets Association(NPMA), an Umbrella body of major international Markets in Lagos State and by extension representing the interests of largest numbers of the international shippers across the market has faulted the newly introduced Nigeria Shipping and Port Economic Regulatory Bill, saying it’s a means to repeal Shippers protection interest.
In a press statement signed by Comrade Chinedu Ukatu, President General of the association on July 31, 2024, the proposed bill glarely jettison’s the original intents of protecting the Shipping interests of the Shippers as it proposed additional charges and levies targeted directly and indirectly at the Nigeria Shippers, which is contrary to what is enlisted in the Nigeria Shippers’ Council Act 133 2004.
Ukatu bemoaned the Council’s action towards the Shippers saying it has lesser interests at protecting the shippers with the new bill, especially, in the face of its quest to metamorphose into shipping and economic regulator, with much emphasis on revenue interests.
He said Nigeria Shippers’ Council has joined the leagues of Shippers’ exploiters with the new bill, milking the Shippers dry, especially within the shipping and Port value adding supply chain.
“The bill proposes an indirect Fees directed at the Nigeria Shippers. Section 26 of the proposed Bill centres on the – “Establishment of the Fund of the Agency”. With respect to Sub Section 26(2c – i & ii) of the Bill, the Agency shall establish and maintain a Fund from which shall be defrayed all expenditure incurred by the Agency…. Subsection 2C(i ) “a charge of –three percent of carriage or contract or charter fees or charges to be collected by shipping companies, lines, carriers, agents, or haulers and paid over to the Agency, And subsection 2C(ii)states,”two percent of gross tariff earnings of service providers in the regulated sector to be collected by the Agency” – all of these shall be passed on to us in the long run,” he agitated.
Speaking further, Ukalu raised concern on the proposed bill in area of new charges on international war risk insurance about to be imposed on Shippers without recourse saying “As international trading public with over 23 million traders across board, we condemn situations where regulators publicizes zero piracy attacks on the Nigeria’s bound vessels, yet an economic regulator prefers that, the “international war risk insurance charges” be imposed on its shippers without recourse.
“Situations where the interests of the Nigeria Shippers no longer matter to its protecting council, as it appears comfortable and resort to the backbench, while the international carriers, and other stakeholders in the international trade and port value supply chain, endlessly chronicles all form of logical and illogical charges both official and unofficial against the shippers, is our hues and cries,” he lamented.
The NPMA President also argued that prior to this period, the Shippers Council was a Council known for taking several steps to combat industry monopoly in an industry where virtually no competition thrives, especially in the port value adding supply chain, but now the same council is gearing up to join the leagues that exploits the Nigeria Shippers.
“We observed, to our astonishment, it seems as if the council we respect for its doggedness, now hobnobs with agencies, which ideally is expected to regulate or call to order, being at the forefront of penciling same down for a presidential industry performance merit certification/awards and not the other way round”.
“We never would expected that, this Council takes an industry pose like other regulatory stakeholders in the maritime industry that has continued, exhibiting the mentality of a mere shopkeepers without an inventory and novation. As it stands, none ever cared or bothered, why must cost of doing business in our port remains very high, nor anyone sincerely worried about the impact of high cost of clearing cargo out of the ports or the image of the nation being tagged or classified as one of the globally unfriendly ports,” he stressed.
He hinted that prior to the press statement, the association had written to the executive secretary of the Nigeria Shippers Council, *soliciting for a clarifications over salient issues of interests to the Nigeria shippers* but was not accorded a deserved attention, just for the joyous mood of this day.
“This press release serves as a prelude to the scheduled world press conference which shall be jointly anchored along with our affiliate partners, before we step into the peak period, to address all salient issues.
“We will emphatically register our support for any positive steps that will engender the enthronement of an independent industry economic regulatory regime, enabled by legislative enactments, provided such enactments will not be at the detriments of the Nigeria Shippers,” he added.
