…I have nothing against NAGAFF -Shoboiki
The leadership of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) yesterday paid a reconciliation visit to the Customs Area Controller of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport command, Ikeja, Lagos, Comptroller Jane Shoboiki at her office in Lagos.
It will be recalled that NAGAFF had in 2012 accused Shoboiki, then a Deputy Comptroller in-charge of Valuation at the Tincan Island Port command of high handedness in dealing with the freight forwarders who had business transaction to do with the command through her office at that time. The situation deteriorated so much that DC Shoboiki allegedly had to enlist the support of her husband who happened to be a senior military officer to get some army officer who invaded NAGAFF headquarters leading to years of strained relationship between NAGAFF and now Comptroller Shoboiki.
However, speaking during the visit, the National President of NAGAFF, Chief Increase Uche pointed out that the visit was a fallout of the meeting and subsequent discussion between the founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam and Comptroller Shoboiki where they both agreed that there was need for them to bridge the gap especially seeing that there was no need for the altercation in the first place.
Uche further noted that it was in view of that development that the founder had mandated them to embark on the visit adding that there was need for them to interface with her and to tell her that what had happened in the past, was in the view of NAGAFF a misnomer, even as he said that Dr. Aniebonam wanted to build a new sustainable relationship with the Controller just like the one existing between NAGAFF and the Nigeria Customs Service.
According to him,” So, that is the major purpose for our being here. Why we brought our members here is to assure you that NAGAFF is a peaceful organization, we are amiable, we never intend to hurt anybody. So, if there was any reason for us to misunderstood each other in the past, the founder of NAGAFF said I should let you know, that we should put that behind us, that you should take this family particularly the chapter members here as your own. You have our support Ma.
“So, Madam, we want to appreciate you, like I said, founder is very happy when you people met last week during the Time Release Study, when you people met at Protea Hotels and he said you are his sister, that there is no need for any face off”.
The National President also pleaded on behalf of the former NAGAFF Chairman at the Murtala Mohammed Airport chapter, Dr. Segun Musa who he said had an issue with the command recently asking that he should be forgiven and be accommodated once more at the command.
“I tried to force him to come down, though he complained of not being well, he is in the hospital anyway. He tried to come down but he couldn’t make it because the doctor said he will discharge him at 2 o’clock. So, we asked him to relax and get well. We want to plead Madam, see all of them as your children, you are a mother, so that through them, let there be peace. And we thank you again for handling that issue that came up here because it shows quality of a good leader that you are. You know our people are still growing, like I started this speech saying that we want to professionalize the system”, he pleaded.
Responding, the Customs Area Controller of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Comptroller Jane Shoboiki thanked them for the visit saying that customs alone cannot make it as it needed the stakeholders just as the stakeholders also needed the service underscoring the need to synergize to be able to work for the common good of the country.
Shoboiki stated that she had never had anything personal with NAGAFF and would not want to adding that it was pertinent that in the course of doing the job, one would either step on toes or people would step on one’s toes “but we have to take it as one of the pains you have to go through in the course of you doing your job”.
“I am glad that you are here, ANLCA is also an association and I was not too happy when somebody said I was giving one association preferential treatment and I wonder how I do it. The things that come to my table, is it written NAGAFF on the paper or ANLCA on the paper? I don’t see anything like that. I believe that every stakeholder, as long as you are at the Area Controller or as long as you are a customs officer, you should be able to go with every stakeholder.
“We don’t look at the past because Jesus himself, if he looked at our past, he wouldn’t have died on the cross of Calvary for us because he had no sin, he took our place. As long as we are alive, as long as we are human, we are bound to have one problem or the other with ourselves but the ability to let go is what is important. It’s like you falling and not getting up, falling is not the problem, it’s getting up that matters. When you fall and you remain there, that’s where the problem arises. I have never had anything personal with NAGAFF, as far as that is concerned, I don’t think I have any personal issue with NAGAFF, I wouldn’t want to”.
On the appeal made on behalf of Musa, she said,” Musa couldn’t come because he is in the hospital, I hold nothing against him but he should confess his sin and he will be fine. He can always come as an agent, as a NAGAFF member if he has anything to do in my office or in the command but I think he should be more mature in whatever he wants to do. Tell Musa to be more mature, people don’t behave the way he does, we have to always be honest with ourselves. It takes nothing; you don’t gain anything in trying to betray somebody.
“NICIS came, I am not the author of NICIS, I am not the author of Form M, it’s an import procedure, it’s a policy that we all must adhere to. Form M is one of the requirements that every importer needs and before importation, you must first of all get Form M from an authorized bank, it’s not a CAC policy, I didn’t bring it into being but it’s something I have to implement because policies are made and when you sent somewhere, yours is to implement the policy”.
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