Port Process, Regulation, Monitoring And Compliance

How NSC Is Raising The Stakes

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

With a firm commitment and undivided focus, the leadership of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has more than enough demonstrated his capacity to deliver on his assignment and the critical mandate of the Council, even beyond  expectation, given the current scope of the nation’s port process and economic blueprint to optimize its development.

Frederik Klinke, Country Managing Director, APM Terminals, Nigeria receiving Registration Certificate from Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Jime, Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council

The results are manifestly tangible that even the worst critic cannot but appreciate the sterling strides of the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Jime, who have proved his mettle beyond question, and beyond public expectations.

His scorecard in all the indices of performance not only conveys a testimonial of unremitting industry, competence and capability, Jime has also exhibited huge managerial finesse and political sagacity which stakeholders and operators are believed to have found immensely appealing, and which has led to positive engagements and increased compliance; undoubtedly raising the industry’s growth trajectory.

L-R: Martijn van Dongen Vice President, Head of Global Lean Business System at APM Terminals, Maersk, Klaus Holm Laursen Head of Joint Ventures, Africa & Europe, Hon. Emmanuel Jime, Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Frederik Klinke, Country Managing Director, APM Terminals, Nigeria and Chinenye Deinde, General Manager

With above demonstrable capacity, initial concerns that the huge port industry gains already recorded by his predecessor, the quintessential pace setter, Hassan Bello, regarded by all as the most passionate apostle of the nation’s ports development, could be eroded for lack of continuity, has since fizzled away.

Rather than the industry relapse into struggling mode as feared, Jime has maintained the traction, and if truth must be told, has raised the bar with the creation of additional values; a situation that has reinvigorated the role of the Council as a consequential port economic regulator, and without controversy, a performing one for that matter; recreating efficient partnership and growing mutual trust and fidelity amongst shippers, shipping companies, terminal operators and the other critical stakeholders.

Disputes are not only looked into promptly, the Jime led management has also upped the game by providing a competitive and efficient trade environment where disagreements are treated expeditiously and fairly to the satisfaction of all concerned.

Also very instructive is the fact that the Council has not only lived up to its responsibility of driving the Nigerian Port Process Manual (NPPM) being implemented by the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) established in 2019, it is also believed that the purpose, tailored-to-fit blueprint designed to streamline and harmonize ports operation processes in a transparent and efficient manner, has been up and running, under his oversight.

Not just up and running, it has achieved tremendous results, significantly lowering the prior port operations corruption index; while fostering a more compliant and trade friendly atmosphere, with the accompanying service delivery cost efficiencies.

In a recent appraisal report, it was noted that while port related corruption cases has scaled down to 55 from 266 in 2019; more stakeholders are enthusiastically responding to the new port business culture and orientation, with others dutifully identifying with the dynamics of the NPPM.

Government agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service, Port Health, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and corporate businesses and organizations like customs brokers, truck owners, freight forwarders, terminal operators, are bound by the NPPM.

The PSTT which is coordinated by a Director in the NSC, Mr. Moses Fadipe, pass as a heartwarming management team player, and like other directors, loyally surrounds Jime like a rainbow of colours in his success story of recalibrating the port economic dynamics since assuming duty more than a year ago.

According to two renown global rating agencies, Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) and the Convention on Business Integrity (CBI),  incidental  corruption cases in the Nigerian ports system has witnessed significant dropped under the PSTT.

The agencies however noted that the only way to sustain the gains so far recorded by the PSTT domiciled under the NSC is through constant sensitization of state officials and port operators, in order for all to imbibe the culture of compliance and commit to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in port operations.

Speaking at a two-day recent training program with the theme ‘Capacity Building on Compliance Function and Leadership for Port Officials’, organised by CBi in conjunction with MACN, Chief Executive Officer of CBI, Mr. Soji Apampa said  the cases fell to 128 cases in 2020, 84 in 2021 and then 55 last year, 2022.

Apampa urged Jime and Fadipe and the entire NSC management not to relent or despair on account of the few remaining cases of recalcitrant stakeholders.

He said, “We know that the work of PSTT is gaining ground and we also know that the PSTT cannot be everywhere because some places where they have to enforce SOPs and following the Nigerian Port Process Manual, can be 200 nautical miles offshore.

“We except they’ll replicate themselves, and except everybody imbibes the culture of compliance, you will not be able to sustain it. So, what we had in mind was to inspire the officers who are involved to also inspire their own men to be more compliant.

“The whole world is looking at you and the whole world is impressed with what you are doing in Nigeria. The world is saying how has Nigeria achieved this, we are impressed; we too need to go and tidy up our own house. That’s how the world is reacting,” he said.

Just last week, the management of APM Terminals, led by its Vice President, Mr. Martijn Van Dongen paid a courtesy visit to the NSC at its headquarters in Lagos; where he lauded Jime and his management team for their impressive records of building and promoting port efficiency.

According to a release by Rakiya Dhikru-Yagboyaju, Head, Public Relations Unit of NSC, Dongen said the essence of his visit was to strengthen collaboration with the Council as the port economic regulator.

Interestingly, during the visit, NSC presented APMT with the certificate of a regulated service provider. This was even as Chinenye Deinde, the Legal Adviser/Head of Corporate Affairs of APMT identified with the vision of the NSC to becoming the National Transport Commission (NTC), while expressing hope for the quick passage of the NTC Bill.

Jime in his response assured that the Council is working on the review of its enabling Act to further strengthen its role as port economic regulator. He informed that the Federal Government is committed to making Nigeria an investment destination for foreign investors, even as he has continued to encourage local entrepreneurs like customs in the logistics value chain to be creative, to rebrand and grow their participation capacity through merger, which will afford many otherwise smaller players to increase their stakes into corporate entities that will support the growth of the port economy.

Under Jime’s watch, a number of handling charges and default penalties regarded as oppressive and exploitative have been subsumed under harmonized costs, freeing the industry of the hitherto regime of suspicions and mutual enmity.

It will be recalled that the Council under his watch, has on a number of occasion, successfully negotiated the maritime workers union out of planned industrial actions, on behalf of the federal government.

Courtesy of Jime’s amiable personality, trusted disposition and responsible leadership, employers and union have often found acceptable meeting points, and where agreements are closely monitored by the NSC to ensure they are not breached.

Industry watchers believe that the positive impact of the Jime administration transcends the industry’s critical growth links, which has created increased local capacity efficiencies as well as the regime of favourable foreign investments with unimpeded record of profit repatriation.

The NSC has remained committed in research programmes that are designed to enhance port operational efficiencies, provide technical services, grow capacity, implement and monitor compliance.