The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has commended the Management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for its commitment to the on going restructuring exercise in the agency for enhanced efficiency.
This was made known by the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Chief Chidiebere Enelamah, when he led a delegation of NAGAFF Executive Members on a visit to the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.
Enelamah, who described the DG as as a dynamic and focused personality also commended him for his astute leadership quality, in restructuring NIMASA and enjoined him to remain resolute in his determination to make Nigeria a major maritime hub in Africa.
Highlighting the pivotal role of the Freight Forwarding profession to trade facilitation, Chief Enelamah called on the NIMASA DG to partner with NAGAFF to enthrone professionalism and efficiency in ports operations for the economic benefit of the country.
The NAGAFF delegation also welcomed the idea of a new shipping line being championed by the Minister, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi, saying that it was high time the nation took more than a passing interest in its huge import/export trade.
Responding, Dr. Peterside thanked members of the delegation for their solidarity and assured them that NIMASA will undergo the entire gamut process of restructuring, reformation and repositioning in order to emerge more productive.
The DG who described the job of freight forwarders as indispensible to the shipping and logistics chain, assured the delegation that the current Management took professionalism very seriously and therefore committed to partnering with NAGAFF, for that cutting edge expertise that only professionals can provide.
He said Freight Forwarders are a major stakeholder group in the maritime sector which NIMASA must collaborate with in the area of revenue generation given the Nation’s determination to diversify the economy from being oil dependent.
Dr. Peterside stated that “because the country has come to a realization that oil is not enough to build our economy based on its dwindling price in the International market, we need to partner with relevant stakeholders to make our maritime sector more viable.”
The DG who promised to convey the support of NAGAFF for the National Carrier to the Hon. Minister of Transportation also assured the delegation that the Federal Government is committed to the actualization of the vision of a National Fleet for Nigeria.
In his words, “we shall endeavor to do everything constitutionally possible, to ensure that a National Carrier is floated shortly. The Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has already inaugurated an implementation committee for its establishment”.
High point of the visit was the investiture of the Director General as a Fellow of NAGAFF with two other management staff of the agency, the Director of Maritime Services, Mrs. Juliana Gunwa, and the Head of Corporate Communications, Hajia Lami Tumaka.