The Principal Partner, Akabogu and Associates, Mr. Emeka Akabogu has called for a compulsory enforcement of standards of practice for freight forwarders operating in the Nigerian ports.
Akabogu who made this call while presenting a paper titled,” Industry Best Practices and Ethical Standard Requirements in Freight Forwarding in Nigeria”, at a one day sensitization seminar for freight forwarders organized by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in Lagos on Thursday further advocated that no customs broker should be allowed to practice without meeting the licensing requirements under all extant laws including the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
He argued that when this is done, a certain degree of sanity would be returned to the most important organ in the supply chain management.
Akabogu who is also the Chief Executive officer of Admiralty Resources observed that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council may help in enforcing the standards for freight forwarders by requiring shipping companies and terminal operators not to release, liaise with any customs broker or freight forwarder who did not have proof of requisite qualification.
According to him,” Inter-agency cooperation is also suggested between the Nigerian Customs Service and the CRFFN for effective regulation of the activities of freight forwarders. That way, it is easy for continuous monitoring and and discipline for erring members of the profession”.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barr. Hassan Bello stated that the seminar was a deliberate attempt on the part of the Council as the Port Economic Regulator to promote capacity building in the freight forwarding sector.
Bello who was represented at the event by the Deputy Director Standard Services Division of NSC, Mr. Olusegun Moses Oyebola described freight forwarding practitioners in Nigeria as being at the centre of international trade practices.
“Inspite of the immense contribution of freight forwarders to the socio-economic development of Nigeria, the required industry best practice and standard is yet to be achieved. This therefore calls for more training and re-training of freight forwarders to ensure smooth and efficient clearance of goods and services at the ports.
“It is in this light that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has packaged this enlightenment seminar to expose our freight forwarders to standard practices and ethical conduct in international trade.
“Freight forwarders must be well exposed to acceptable standards of practice in freight forwarding profession for them to operate effectively and efficiently at the ports and thereby minimizing unethical practices and promoting efficient service delivery at the ports”, he said.
Speaking in another paper entitled,” The Role of Nigerian Shippers’ Council as Port Economic Regulator and the Implementing Agency of Advanced Cargo Declaration”, the Director Commercial Services of NSC, Mrs. Dabney Shall-Holma disclosed that the need to fill the noticeable gap in the concession programme necessitated the confirmation of the council as the Port Economic Regulator.
Represented by the Assistant Director, Compliance Monitoring and Evaluation of the Council, Chief Cajethan Agu, Mrs. Shall-Holma however stated that with the port concession, improved security became the order of the day in the Nigerian ports as activities of wharf rats had been totally eliminated.
She listed the challenges of port concession to include inefficiency, excessive charges by the concessionaires, shipping companies and other port operators like the consolidators, abuse of concession agreements and undue delay of cargo clearance amongst others.
The Director also mentioned factor militating against port reform to include cumbersome cargo clearance, massive capital flight, leakages in the revenue accruable to government even as she said that since assuming the mandate of the Port Economic Regulator, the Council had done a lot in the area of stakeholders engagements, sensitization and training, reduction of container cleaning charge, extension of free demurrage period from 3 to 7 days among others.
Highlight of the seminar was discussion session, question and answer session amongst other side attractions.
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