IN a bid to ensure international best practices in the Nigerian Maritime industry, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC yesterday sealed the premises of the Associated Port & Marine Development Company (APMDC), Limited (a cargo consolidating firm) thereby shutting down its operations.
The Council who also acts as the Port Economic Regulator had issued several notices to address infractions ranging from charging in forex to non-compliance with approved nomenclature of charges such as (Transport Adjustment charges, non-vessel operating carriers), outright disregard of terms of mediation reached at NSC and unresolved complaints of over one and half years, among others.
The Council’s team was led by Mr. Adesina Sarumi, an Assistant Director in the Regulatory Services Department.
Speaking shortly after the enforcement exercise, the Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement Division, Mrs. Celine Ifeora, said NSC sealed APMDC’s premises following its non-compliance with Council’s directive as Port Economic Regulator. Ifeora disclosed that NSC had invited APMDC for meetings to resolve the issues but they refused to honour the invitations.
NSC, she said, was left with no choice but to carry out the enforcement by sealing APMDC’s premises. She added that the APMDC would remain closed until the issues are addressed.
Mrs. Ifeora said, “They don’t want to listen to any agency representing the government. That is why we went out today to carry out the enforcement exercise on APMDC. Two warning letters were forwarded asking them not to introduce new tariffs and charges without the consent of the government but they refused to comply and rather they introduced another new tariff heading.”
Speaking in a similar vein, Mr. Adesina Sarumi, an Assistant Director in the Regulatory Services Department who led the enforcement team said that the enforcement exercise was informed by the need to address anomalies at APMDC. These, he said, revolved around issues such as introduction of charges not approved by Council, making of payments in dollars on services rendered in Nigeria, among others.
Alhaji Bashir Ambi of Complaints Unit following the enforcement exercise said that the Complaints Unit has received a series of complaints from the users of the services of APMDC.