The Founder, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has identified the lack of respect to the rules and regulations by the citizens of this country as the problem with Nigeria.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected officers of the association in Lagos last weekend, Dr. Aniebonam stated that for Nigeria to move forward, her citizens must learn to obey the laws of the land adding that it is only when this is done would the nation leave in peace.
While admonishing the freight forwarder, importers and other ports users to imbibe the culture of compliance and respect to the rules of engagement, he however called on the government agencies in the ports not hesitate to enforce the law adding that laws were meant to be obeyed.
He said that with compliance and strict adherence to the rules of engagement, the 48 hours cargo clearance at the ports would be achieved without much trouble.
According to him,” the agents of the government must appreciate that the laws are meant to be obeyed and people are bound to enforce the law. The problem in our country today is respect to the rules and regulations, this is the problem today in our country and our Honourable members’ sisters and brothers have a duty to make popular laws which all of us are bound to obey and follow”.
“It is now that of the agents of the government to enforce law. Now what am I saying? There is this problem of 48 hours cargo clearance in our port system today. People are asking questions, can we carry responsibilities under 48 hours? The answer is simple it is very easy today. The truth is that we are not compliant in resecting the laws of the land”.
“I am sure that you will agree with me that if you want a better society in the country today, then you must obey the law, that is the only way we can leave in peace”, Aniebonam said.
The NAGAFF Founder however charged the newly elected officers of the association to carry the message to the ports and encourage their members to make genuine declaration for customs purposes as well as align themselves with other responsibilities in terms of quality control.
He further urged then to avoid blackmailing government agencies in the port and to engage the agencies constructively as according to him,” this is not the time to blackmail anybody, this is time to work together to make Nigeria a better country”.
Earlier in his welcome address, the national President of NAGAFF, Dr. Eugene Nweke stated that the day’s event marked another feat in the history of the association as it sought to prove to the world that NAGAFF is not only an association in the port industry but that it also has all it takes to prepare people to take position in the act of governance.
Nweke hinted that the swearing in of the newly elected officers marked the apex of a process that started over one month ago through the electioneering process to select officers that would fit into the 21st century freight forwarding practice.
He also said that the occasion also avail the association the opportunity to pass instructions to the upcoming officers of NAGAFF as the association was one that tried to preach professionalism and for them to achieve their vision and mission statement by ensuring that all aspect of training must be adhered to hence the reason for every NAGAFF officer to be registered and accredited by the Council for the Regulation of freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
“Today, as I speak with you, these officers after their elections went through the leadership training for good three days and right now, virtually fifty-five percent of them are in Redeemers’ University and NAGAFF Continuous Mandatory Programme and I can assure you that what they are doing is to prepare themselves to live up to our expectation in the headquarters”, Nweke said.
