Ahead of the expiration of the seven days ultimatum given to the Country Manager of the APM Terminal (APMT), Apapa to tender public apology to the Nigerian freight forwarders, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has set up a technical system audit/study committee to reevaluate the operational performances of the APM Terminal in Nigeria and make comparative studies of the APM Terminal operational performances in other ports of the world.
According to a statement released in Lagos on Sunday by the National Public Relations Officer, NAGAFF, Mr. Stanley Ezenga, this was part of the resolutions reached at the emergency National Executive Council (NEC) session held on Friday 17th July, 2020 at the NAGAFF headquarters in Apapa.
The statement recalled that earlier in the week, NAGAFF gave a seven (7) days ultimatum to the Country Manager of the APM Terminal, who in a widely reported news piece falsely accused the freight forwarders of being responsible for the present port congestion in its terminal to tender public apology to the Nigerian freight forwarders.
It noted that this false accusation had in no small measures indicted and subjected the professional integrity of Nigerian freight forwarders to questions and doubts before the comity of global freight forwarders, especially the global regulator, FIATA.
“Arising from our emergency NEC Session held on the 17th July, 2020, NEC resolved ahead of the expiration of the 7 days ultimatum to commence a process of making meaning its earlier position, by undertaking as caption above.
“As part of the Terms of Reference – TOR issued to the Technical audit/ study Committee reads in part: ‘To narrow operational studies and draw comparison from other countries ports where the APM Terminal operates as a concessionaire, focusing and drawing analysis in the key following areas:
- a) Equipment’s acquisition and availability.
- b) Number of dedicated cargo handling equipment per various aspects of terminal operations.
- c) Performance indicators in relation to cargo move per hour per truck per crane from ship to terminal – berth production.
- d) Dwell time of cargo in the terminal.
- e) Ship turn around and dwell time at berth.
- f) Services charges (itemizing functions to such applicable charges).
- g) Revisit the term progressive storage charges, and differentiate between delivery charges and terminal handling charges.
- h) Revisit the condition and conspiracy in relation to transferring containers to off dock terminal other than named port of discharge.
- i) Consider the application of international best practices in cargo handling operations and friendly customer relationship.
“Furthermore, the Committee is to further its studies and bring to fore other findings as it relates to terminal operations and services and make appropriate recommendation to the NEC”, the statement said.
It further listed the members of the committee to include; Dr. Arthur Igwilo – Chairman, Rev. Emmanuel Agubanze – Secretary, Fwdr. Francis Omotosho – IT & Logistics, Barrister Henry Olarotimi – Legal, Alhaji Aboki Mustapha – Member and Chukwuma Okafor – Member.
The committee, according to the statement, has two weeks to submit its report.
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