Shippers Association Blasts Port Economic Regulator; Shippers Council …Says Agency Not Effective

By ZION Olalekan |

The Shippers Association Lagos State (SALS) has lampooned the port economic regulator; Nigerian Shippers Council, saying the agency has failed to live up to its responsibilities of ensuring conducive environment in Nigeria shipping sector, and that rather, the body has been cowed by terminal operators, shipping companies and fellow government agencies.

In a chat with nigeriamaritime360.com, Vice President of SALS who is also a trustee of the association, Rev. Nichodemus Odollo lamented that there are too many challenges in Nigerian port systems which has eroded the gains of port concession exercise of 2006.

Odollo said that Nigerian shippers have lost confidence in the ability of the shippers’ council and the shipping community. According to him, the group is seeking to engage new partners outside the country in order to make preparations on how cargoes can be diverted to more friendly ports.

According to him, Nigerian Shippers are being frustrated out of doing business in Nigeria through arbitrary charges and failing government policies. He argued that the agency that is supposed to stand and protect interest of the shippers (shippers’ council) has failed to do so.

Specifically, Odollo saluted the discussants of the last Taiwo Afolabi Annual Maritime (TAAM) Conference held at the University of Lagos on 20th of August, 2018.

“In particular, Chief Sarumi who said private monopoly came along with the Port concession Agreement from the Federal Government.”

“The frank and honest talk in that conference tallies with the Shippers’ Association Lagos State stand for the past 5 years”

“If business environment is saturated with deliberate harsh conditions that have brought so much disdain and suspicions in the minds of traders in Nigeria, it shows that the intention of the Government is to destroy the commonwealth of Shippers, Importers and Exporters.

“We are gradually losing confidence in the ability of all the existing Port Regulators for their inability to curb excesses of fellow Government Agencies. Impunity has taken over the trade environment. It is like a script being acted on stage by the MDAs with faulty platform from the very beginning.

“The protectors of Shippers have indeed failed. Because they are equally swimming in the brackish dirty waters infested with wild predators.

“We are seeking to engage new partners within and outside the country and probably to build our empire. There is so much corruption. So many infractions. Too many compromises with the environment even from those that should show examples.

“We salute the courage of the discussants as they cut the red tapes with frankness.

“Solutions proffered during the Conference were repetition of existing calls for a New Port Order. However, we are losing confidence and trust in the Government Agencies who want to take everything that belongs to everyone”, he said.