16 February 2015, Lagos – Importers and customs brokers have called for contempt charge to be brought against terminal operators and shipping companies for violating the court order that barred them from collecting some shipping charges at the ports.
It is expected that hearing in the case between the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) as the ports regulator and Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) and the Association of Shipping Lines Agency (ALSA) will resume soon after the industrial action by the judicial workers.
Members of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) who spoke on the issue at the weekend said the contempt charge has become necessary to stop the service providers from continued collection of the charges at the ports as well as to check such impunity in the future.
A senior member of the association, Chief Tony Ohaeto accused the service providers of taking laws into their hands.
Ohaeto insisted the service providers have no right to collect the shipping charges when their application for stay of execution was yet to be determined by the court.
He said such behaviour could be likened to the Nigerian factor where some people violate court orders with impunity.
– This Day
