Following the planned evacuation of the o-site secretariat/operational office of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) PTML Chapter by the Grimaldi/PTML Management, the two associations have called on the terminal management to provide a call-up hall for freight forwarders and agents who do business at the terminal.
It would be recalled that the management of the Grimaldi/PTML had earlier issued a removal notice to the two associations informing them that the containers being used by the two associations as temporary secretariat would be removed by the management on or before the 10th of August, 2014
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The action according to the Grimaldi/PTML was aimed at ensuring full compliance to ISPS Code requirement of the ports as well as to contend the security situation in the country which did not allow for choking the port environment with persons who do not have any business to do at the ports.
Rising from the meeting between the chapter executives of the two associations at PTML terminal and their National leaderships held in Lagos at the weekend noted that the incessant server breakdown bedeviling the customs as well as the terminal operators had made the provision of a call-up hall at the terminal imperative.
According to them, the call-up hall with conveniences attached, would serve as a place for the freight forwarders and agents to cool off while waiting for the server to come up which in most cases take several days.
Investigations by Primetime Reporters revealed that the meeting which was at the instance of the two associations at the PTML Chapter was to enlist the support of the National leadership of the associations to intervene in the determined effort of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to remove the containers used by both associations as temporary/on-site secretariat.
It was however gathered that the National leadership of the two associations which has the National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu and his NAGAFF counterpart, Chief Eugene Nweke who was represented at the meeting by his Deputy, Barr. Fred Akokhia advised against any attempt by the two associations at the PTML chapter to resist the removal of the said containers.
They instead advised that the two associations in the chapter should source for land which both associations could lease to build offices thereon adding that both associations should do a joint letter to NPA, the Commissioner of Police Western Ports and the Grimaldi expressing fear of security challenges after the removal of the container.
They instead advised that the two associations in the chapter should source for land which both associations could lease to build offices thereon adding that both associations should do a joint letter to NPA the Commissioner of Police Western Ports and the Grimaldi expressing fear of security challenges after the removal of the containers as concerted effort to ward off potential threat may be far -fetched thereafter.
Also at the meeting were Chief Oye Ariyo, the ANLCA Chairman of National Committee on Customs Relations, Bolade Oladipo, PSO to the National President of ANLCA and Hon. Increase Uche.
