The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enyinnaya Enelamah has described the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), as an assemblage of professionals whose intellectual capacity is much needed in the ongoing efforts to diversify the nation’s economy towards sustainable development.
The Minister made this submission after listening to a paper on how the freight forwarding sector can play a major role in diversifying the nation’s economy, presented by a delegation from the association who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja recently.
In the Paper presented by the Deputy National President, Chief Increase Uche, NAGAFF appreciated the efforts of the current government in diversifying the economic base of the country, and urged the government to build a strong coalition of relevant stakeholders including freight forwarders to drive this lofty and laudable move.
NAGAFF advised the government to take another look at the implementation of the Foreign Direct Investment quest and try to fine-tune some of its policies hindering the country from harnessing the full potentials of the programme.
NAGAFF specifically mentioned the stumbling blocks to trade facilitation within the Nigerian trading space because it was very glaring that while some countries were removing barriers to ensure unimpeded trade flow, the Nigerian Supply Chain environment was characterized by factors like exclusive control and domination by foreigners, unprofessional conduct by some government agencies, unstable and high FOREX regime, and uncertainties occasioned by policy somersault, among others hindering trade flow.
NAGAFF therefore called on the Honorable Minister to set up a Consultative forum made up of relevant stakeholders in the industry to resolve trade disputes that may arise among them, especially with agencies under his Ministry.
In the same vein, the association also called for more collaboration among the Ministries of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), the Finance as well as Transportation in order to reduce or eradicate constraints to trade facilitation.
It advised the FMITI to extend support to the freight forwarding sector, through the SMEDAN and ITF programmes, Bank of Industries micro credit facility and MSMEs financing infrastructure to empower and expand the sector in line with Federal government project in the National Enterprise Development Programme.
Responding, the Minister, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah said Nigeria now enjoy a lot of goodwill in the international community as many countries were now eager to do business with the country adding Nigeria was at the verge of signing Trade Relation Agreements with some of those countries.
Dr. Enelamah also revealed that his Ministry in collaboration with others was poised to removing barriers inhibiting smooth trade flow within the country.
He said the government would further encourage local content in every area of human endeavour, and especially the freight forwarding practice in the country.
He gave approval for a genuine collaboration between his Ministry and NAGAFF and urged the association to always put its intellectual prowess at the disposal of the government when called upon to do so promising that the ongoing collaborative efforts between his Ministry and other Ministries as well as other government agencies would continue.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and the leader of the delegation, Elder Chidiebere Enelamah had congratulated the Minister on his well-deserved appointment saying that the visit was to assure him of the readiness of NAGAFF to support the Minister and by extension, the government to succeed.
The good-will message of the founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam was conveyed to the Honourable Minister.
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