Shippers Council Moves to Stop Dollarization of Barging Fees

The Nigerian Shippers Council, (NSC), has commenced moves to stop the collection of barging fees in USdollars, following complaints from barge operators that the development is eating into their profit and discouraging Nigerians from engaging in the business.

Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr. Emmanuel Jime made this known while speaking, yesterday, in Lagos at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN), adding that it is illegal for any agency to collect any fee in Nigeria.

Jime vowed that the Council will take it up with the appropriate authorities and ensure that the practice is stopped.

He stated further that the Council will initiate the process of engaging with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) with a view to resolving the matter.

Executive Secretary of the Council, said “I also would like to urge the barging operators to bring this up formerly with the Nigerian Shippers Council, because to the best of my knowledge that information is not available to us. Now that I have been given first-hand information today, as I go back, we will also activate our internal processes to examine this situation with a view to addressing it frontally”.

 Earlier, President of the Barge Operators Association of Nigeria, (BOAN), Comrade Olubunmi Olumeku, said that the group will partner with the Council to ensure that the dollarization of barging fee is stopped.