NAGAFF demands own permanent secretariat from Dikko

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has asked the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi to build its own national secretariat for it.

This demand is coming barely two weeks after the commissioning and naming of the permanent national secretariat of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) by Abdullahi.

ANLCA National President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu may have unknowingly rekindled the rivalry between his association and NAGAFF when he declared at the commissioning of the ANLCA permanent national secretariat on 5th Spetember 2014 that the Customs Comptroller General played critical role in the actualization of the project.

While speaking with SHIPS & PORTS DAILY in Lagos, the founder of NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Aniebonam, said Abdullahi must extend his hand of fellowship to the association.

Aniebonam said, “It was obvious when the President of ANLCA, Shittu said what he said that the CG has assisted them so much to have that secretariat and the CG also acknowledge that. What you should expect from us is that we should be happy with them as a sister organization which we are and the other aspect for us is to approach the CG to extend the same hand of fellowship to us.

“We will do because as I am talking to you, the technical committee is articulating a position and we all believe that the CG has what it takes as his nature to listen to everybody.”

Aniebonam said his association had never approached the CG for such help before but would do that now because “NAGAFF and Customs are partner in progress”.

“We have not approached the CG that we want to build a secretariat and now we will approach him to see what he can do FOR us also. Until he says otherwise then it will be obvious  to us.

“The CG knows the position of NAGAFF and he also knows I am the leader, founder of NAGAFF and as an ex-customs officer I don’t see him saying no because he has a good relationship with NAGAFF and he knows our worth as an association,” Aniebonam stated.

NAGAFF National President, Chief Eugene Nweke also said, “If the members felt because of ANLCA secretariat, the CG has not done much well then I think it is a matter of putting our position or request before the CGC because if  we are not putting a request before now, we won’t expect the man to know our mind.

“So, what NAGAFF is trying to do is to put things together by saying if you have done this for A  what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.”