The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF has given reasons why it preferred former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Barr. Hassan Bello as the new Minister of Transportation ahead of former Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo.
As calls for appointment of a maritime industry practitioner as the new Minister of Transportation with many groups and individuals including the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria, MARAN calling for the return of Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo to the Ministry, NAGAFF has said that Hassan Bello would be a better choice.
The founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos recently said that he expected the current government at this moment to bring back Barr. Hassan Bello as the Minister of Transportation.
He said, “We couldn’t have gotten anything better than that. He has the knowledge and the patriotism in him to do the right thing. He is a great person with knowledge.”
On those rooting for Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo to return as the Minister, Dr. Aniebonam stated that the beauty of democracy is in the ability of people to make choices adding that “Sambo may be good but for me and NAGAFF, we don’t want to hear anything about Sambo.”
“How can somebody in a public office block somebody’s line? I wrote something to him advising him on what he should do in CRFFN for it to work, he was not there when we brought about CRFFN, the intendment of CRFFN is known to people like myself, I was even part of the people that founded it. When Isa Baluchi visited NAGAFF High Command at Eko L’ Meridian, when we were talking with our late brother, Ojo Maduekwe, where was Sambo? And we are telling you something that will help you.
“And what have you achieved? A public officer? What is the track record for Sambo as Minister in CRFFN? Our big brother, Rotimi Amaechi made an order that with the CRFFN identity card, you have access in the port as far as your name is in the register of freight forwarders. Is it being implemented? What did he do? Only for them to be struggling where to build our Secretariat, whether in Abuja or Lagos.
“He may be good in other places but for me and NAGAFF, we don’t want to hear a name like that. If they like, let them bring him back, it will still be the same old story”, he added.
It will be recalled that both Hassan Bello and Mu’azu Sambo built and lived their careers in the nation’s maritime sector. While Hassan Bello served at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC where he later rose through the ranks to become the Executive Secretary of the agency, Mu’azu Sambo, on the other hand started his career at the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA and later transferred his services to the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA where he rose to become General Manager. Mu’azu is the immediate past Minister of Transportation.
Photo: Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, founder of NAGAFF.
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