..Advise Freight Forwarders To Be Law Abiding
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has called on the federal government to set up a Presidential enquiry to see how things are working in the Nigeria sea ports.
It is believed that their is a system collapse in the nation’s seaports with the obvious that presently, nothing seems to be working the way it ought to.
The Founder of the association, National, Dr. Boniface Okechwuku Aniebonam made this clarion recently during the kitting of the association’s 100% Compliance Team, which is an enforcement Unit of the organization, set up few months ago to enforced compliance in the ports.
He hinted that the collapse of the ports system in Nigeria needs urgent attention from the federal government to checkmate it.
All the government agencies in the ports that are empowered by law to enforced compliance, he said, have failed, leaving the operators to suffer at their own mercies.
He was of the that the ports system is in a state of war and when there is a state of war or system collapse, tactics takes over.
“There is a total breakdown at the ports, in a war zone, when there is a system collapse, tactics take over. Since there is a system breakdown, we want to help ourselves . Nothing is working, we cannot predict the business we are doing, what we are experiencing is loss.Government should set up a Presidential Enquiry to see how things are working in our ports”
Aniebonam stressed that the tactics being put in place in order to be on top of the situation are self control, self regulation and self compliance.
While asking Freight Forwarders to rescue themselves, he averred that many Freight Forwarders are now hypertensive because nothing is predictable in cargo clearing business again.
He hinted that the intention of the government to make the ports competitive has been defeated.
“The real operators are conniving and are not adding value. We’re beginning to see that we are not going forward. Our principals (shippers) are losing.
“As a matter of fact, for freight forwarders to earn and sustain their means of livelihood, they must learn to add value and get things done properly. Freight forwarders are surrounded by enemies who want things to remain haphazardly, you should take your destiny in your hands by ensuring compliance in all ramifications” he said.
Je however advised freight forwarders to be on the side of the law at this auspicious time so that their goods cleared in the ports can get to their warehouses without problem.
He explained that the 100% Compliance Team is meant to bring respect and honour to freight forwarding business through honest declarations.
Speaking at the event, National Coordinator of the NAGAFF’s 100% Compliance Team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko seeks for the total cooperation of the team in carrying out their functions in the ports.
Explained that all the Chapters will be headed by Coordinators , while the Bonded Terminals will be headed by Supervisors.
Tanko warned all members against infighting among themselves and to report all challenges and infractions to the NAGAFF Headquarters for redressed.
He promised that in no distance time, all the Chapters will be given buses to aid their logistics problems.Working aprons were distributed to all the Chapters enforcement officers to assume their duties.
