By Uzor Odigbo
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has constituted a technical committee to x-ray the performance of the nation’s port concessionaires .
The foremost freight forwarding group also issued a sixty-day mandate to come up with its report for onward submission to the supervisory Ministry of Transportation.
National President of NAGAFF, Chief Increase Uche, while briefing newsmen at the inauguration on Thursday in Lagos, said that the committee would embark on re-evaluation and assessment of port concessionaire APM Terminals Apapa and proceed to other terminal operators in Lagos ports.
The APMT was concessioned as the biggest terminal in the
premier port in 2006, adding that since then, they have been in operation, delivering
services based on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed during the concession arrangements of 2006.
He explained that the exercise would extend to other terminal operators in Lagos, adding, “NAGAFF high Command in her wisdom has decided to carry out a holistic
re-evaluation/a comprehensive assessment of the performance of APMT among others.
“As the link that brings all the players together in the general supply chain, the freight forwarders have been dutifully carrying out their role as required particularly, in ensuring a seamless flow of ports operations, covering all the terminals including the APMT.
“Our experience in the course of discharging
our professional duties vary from one terminal to another.
Members of the Technical Committee of NAGAFF at the inauguration on Thursday in Lagos.
“From our informed knowledge the APMT has remained one of the terminals that has not achieved the purpose for which the
government carried out the reform in the maritime industry.
“It is based on this fact and for numerous other reasons that this assignment is hereby
bestowed on these selected members with the onerous task.”
He called on the carry out thorough investigation and research in ensuring unbiased reports about the terminal..
On the inauguration, founder of the association, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam tasked the committee to be diligent in their fact finding mission adding that the move is to ascertain how policies have been impacted on economic growth and development.