Shippers’ Council Sensitizes Stakeholders’ On Mandatory Registration

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) Monday, April 22, 2024 carried out a major stakeholders sensitization workshop on the mandatory registration of all port users, including operators and players in line with the NSC Act at the Agency’s Training Room in its head office, Lagos.

Executive Secretary of the Council, Barr Pius Akutah in his welcome address explained that the long neglected registration of port users and service providers can no longer be delayed, especially on the backdrop of concerns, recently, reportedly  expressed about the matter by the nation’s cabinet and legislative organs of governance.

The NSC boss who was represented by the Director of Consumer Affairs, Chief Carjetan Agu further noted that relevant state apparatuses were already asking questions about the compliance level whereas the Council has yet to begin implementation of the rule which obligates it to provide a comprehensive data base of all users of the nation’s seaports.

He laments that under the new process, those not captured in the registration exercise before its commencement may be obstructed from further participation in port trade and services in line with the act and its enforcement.

According to the NSC CEO, only about 185 port operators have so far registered with the Council, and urged those that have not done so to take advantage of the sensitization to do so before the commencement of enforcement.

In particular, Agu informed stakeholders at the workshop that the process of registration has transited from manual to online registration. This is even as he emphasized that the process is compulsory and hence with inherent sanctions in the event of non compliance.

He said, “All operators are bound by the NSC (Port Economic Regulations) Act of 2015 to register with the Council. You cannot come to us for assistance if you are not registered with the NSC, you have to register to derive the inherent benefits”.

Responding to stakeholders complaints that they are already licensed and or registered by relevant agencies of government in the line of their particular port businesses, Agu clarified that whereas port users mandatory registration with the Council as the port economic regulator supersedes individual trade registration; the process he further explained takes precedence over and above particular trades or occupation.

Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs, Mr. Celestine Akinjobi provided additional insights on the efficacy of the registration exercise and appealed to all stakeholders to avail themselves of the exercise within the prescribed time frame; reportedly third quarter of 2024.

“Shippers Council believes in persuasion and not coercion, but when we discover that the level of compliance is low, we might be forced to uphold the law, because there are certain provisions that prescribe punishment for non-registration.

“One of the benefits of registration is passing of information. Also in the past, people bring in offensive goods at the port and upon investigation, they will say they were imported by faceless shippers. But after this registration, the issue of faceless shippers will become a thing of the past” Akinjobi said.

The Deputy Director, ICT, Benjamin Ivwighreghweta disclosed that different category of operators are charged different administrative fee for the registration, ranging from Thirty Thousand Naira (N30,000.00) to Three Hundred Thousand Naira (N300,000.00).

He also provided wide range explanations on the available online quick registration processes, which he said was very interactive and easy to accomplish, hinting in addition about the dynamics of the benefits of the registration.

“If you are a regulator, you are supposed to know your customers, it is in this spirit that we are carrying out this exercise. When we started, it was a manual process, but we have now automated the registration process. Within minutes, even from the comfort of your homes, you can go through the registration process, make payments and equally print your certificate by yourself.”

Speaking against the backdrop of complaints by some stakeholders who claimed to have made payments and yet not captured in the data, he urged for patience and diligence to correctly fulfill all that is required to achieve effective registration.

“Registration is compulsory, we have gone through the list of those registered with the Council and we have realised that many people are yet to register with us.

“With the URL, stakeholders are automatically opened to the portal to begin the registration process. It will ask for your email address and your password. The platform has been customized and goes beyond just your laptop; now you can register online through your smart phones and at your convenience and comfort zone.

‘The portal is very interactive and user friendly, it tells how to print your certificate and when your certificate will expire. The application category varies; a barge operator and a freight forwarder and or warehouse operators cannot fill same information. And your registration will not complete if you fail to attach supporting documents”, he said.

Questions and observations based on misunderstandings and or doubts raised by stakeholders were addressed, even as leaders and representatives of various trades and occupations and groups endorsed the registration exercise.