The founder of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and the National Chairman of the New Nigerian Peoples Party ( NNPP), Dr Boniface Aniebonam has decried the collapse of the ports system in Nigeria calling on the Federal Government to set up a Presidential Enquiry to monitor what is happening in the ports. As well as asking Freight Forwarders to rescue themselves.
He cried out that the ports system is in a state of war. According to him, “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 expecting is loss.Government should set up a Presidential Enquiry to see how things are working in our ports”
The NAGAFF founder 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. He averred that many Freight Forwarders are now hypertensive because nothing is predictable in cargo clearing business again.
He called on the Federal Government to set up a Presidential enquiry on what is happening in the ports, declaring 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,” he intoned.
Aniebonam said as a matter of fact that for freight forwarders to earn and sustain their means of livelihood, they must learn to add value and get things done properly.
Alluding to the fact that freight forwarders are surrounded by enemies who want things to remain haphazardly, enjoining them to take their destiny in their hands by ensuring compliance in all ramifications.
The NAGAFF founder further 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 stressed that the 100% Compliance Team is meant to bring respect and honour to freight forwarding business through honest declarations.
On his part, the 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.
He 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 two months 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.
