The federal government has been urged to consider a stronger empowerment of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) as the ports economic regulator to address such anomalies.
The call became necessary in order for the Council bring to an end all forms of illegalities being introduced by shipping service providers against importers and exporters.
Such powers according to the Rivers/Bayelsa Shippers Association (RIBASA) would play a tremendous role in helping the ports economic regulator check shipping companies and terminal operators who have over the years been in the habit of imposing illegal charges in the ports.
President of the Association, Mr Ofon Udofia, who spoke to newsmen yesterday, said the situation would change automatically if it (NSC) were accorded more strong political will and constitutional powers.
The shipping expert said NSC should be empowered in the same manner as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which has unconstrained constitutional powers to bring to book erring telecom service providers.
Udofia particularly referred to some service providers who, according to him, have glaringly displayed disobedience, adding that this will change once the NSC starts acting like NCC in checking their excesses at the ports.
