Following the protracted server failure being experienced in various commands of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria, APFFLON has called on the federal government to engage another internet service provider as an alternative to Messrs Webb Fontaine so as to to guarantee service consistency.
The National President of the association, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite who made this call in a statement in Lagos on Monday, observed that this problem which had lingered for a couple of weeks now had added to the hardships freight forwarders and their importers were currently going through.
Ogunojemite recalled that this same problem occured some time ago prompting mass protestations against Messrs Webb Fountain as freight forwarders accused them of incompetence and called for revocation of their contract as the Nigeria Customs Internet Service Provider.
He further recalled that during that same period, his association, APFFLON threatened to file a lawsuit against the duo of Nigeria Customs Service and Messrs Webb Fontaine if nothing was done urgently to ameliorate the situation.
He said, “Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria, APFFLON, hereby wish to draw the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly and that of the general public to protracted server failure being experienced in various commands of the Nigeria Customs Service.
“Today, with the total shutdown of Customs server for over a week now, clearing agents and their importers have been trying so hard to stay in business coupled with the 90% increase in Customs duty which has brought the industry and by extension, the national economy to its knees.
“The most worrisome part of it is that Shipping companies and terminal operators will still insist on collecting their charges to the last kobo without considering the unfortunate situation.
“It’s high time we called upon the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Chairman, CRFFN and the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to rise up and let’s address this unpalatable situation. And we continue to ask, why is such case peculiar to Nigeria, why?
“Stakeholders must come together to address this issue once for all as we suggest that the Federal Government engages another internet service provider to backup Messrs Webb Fontaine to guarantee consistency.
“As a matter of urgency, APFFLON is calling upon the Chairman, Governing Board of Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, Alhaji Abubakar Tsanni to meet with relevant stakeholders and deliberate on this issue so as to forestall possible breakdown of law and order in the industry. Enough is enough! We can’t continue folding our hands while Messrs Webb Fontaine keep sabotaging our national economy, something urgent needs to be done.”
Appealing to all the freight forwarding associations to officially notify shipping companies and terminal operators of the appalling situation and appeal for waiver for all members, the APFFLON boss said, “APFFLON is using this opportunity to plead with all shipping companies and terminal owners to look into the current situation and use their good offices to grant waivers to importers and their agents so as to reduce the heavy financial burden being hauled on them due to Customs server breakdown.
“And to professional colleagues and leaders, you are, hereby, expected to play a professional role by informing your importers about the current situation, they need to be carried along to avoid misinformation from wrong quarters.”
Ogunojemite, however, advised the Federal Government to either sack the Nigeria Customs Internet Provider, Messrs. Webb Fountain for gross incompetence and for jeopardizing its policy on Ease of Doing Business or urgently provide an alternative so as to bring to an end this national embarrassment.
“In the overall interest of the nation, the Presidency and the National Assembly should make haste to address this avoidable economic sabotage”, he submitted.
Photo: Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, National President, APFFLON.
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