By Uzor Odigbo
Founder of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarder (NAFAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has said that the newly appointed Country Managing Director of APM terminal was speaking out of ignorance over port congestion issue.
Aniebonam made the allegation in his office.
He disclosed that the Ports system has collapsed and that nothing was working in the ports.
Mr. Klous Loursen, the new APMT country manager, it would be recalled disclosed during his maiden visit to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Executive Secretary/ CEO, Mr. Hassan Bello, had accused Freight forwarders of beng responsible for the congestion at the terminal as a result of their not coming forward to clear their containers, which he said had contributed to the back up of ships on Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Meanwhile, Aniebonam said that the system collapse had led to freight forwarders suffering with no visible ending.
He hinted that the APMT boss was not properly briefed on the workings at the ports, stressing that he should have studied the working of the Nigerian Maritime industry, pay courtesy visits to NAGAFF and ANLCA before making such unguided statement.
The NAGGAF founder, who said that the country manager was talking from a point of ignorance, accused Terminal Operators and Shipping companies of frustrating stakeholders with none to regulate them.
While advising the Nigeria Shoppers’ Council to enforce their powers for defaulters to comply, he did not fail to commend them for all their efforts.
Klaus Laursen, during his visit to NSC, also disclosed that APMT planed to optimize haulage at its terminal by implementing an electronic platform for truck management.
He said discussions on this were ongoing with Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), adding that the terminal issues, Terminal Delivery Orders (TDO) online payments, invoicing and a range of other services were also available online so that Freight Forwarders don’t need to be physically present at their terminal to make payments.