The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has been dissolved.
The Board of Trustees (BOT) Secretary, Dipo Olayokun who confirmed this in a press release sent to SHIPS & PORTS DAILY, said the decision was taken by the Board, in consultation with its President with a view to repositioning the association for improved efficiency and services to members.
Olayokun said the BOT has given approval for the constitution of a new NEC immediately to avoid a vacuum, with a directive that any NAGAFF member who has attended the approved executive mandatory courses of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and/or having a minimum qualification of first degree or its equivalent from any higher Institution is eligible to take up responsibility in the Association.
He said, “The administration of NAGAFF shall continue to be piloted by men and women of proven record and sound cerebral endowment for obvious reasons.
“NAGAFF is mindful of its operating environment and is being careful of who assumes leadership for the purpose of continuity. We are very much aware that moneybags in other sister associations and some revenue defaulting elements who may not buy into the change mantra in Nigeria can infiltrate, so as to induce some destabilization acts.
“We have successfully facilitated the establishment of CRFFN as a regulatory agency of the freight forwarding profession and we are striving to enthrone its validity in practice. As an Act of the National Assembly and an agency of the government, it is a fact and in law that CRFFN as a new legislation has overriding powers to any other law of the same or similar responsibility.
“There is no doubt that CEMA and CRFFN are not on the same page in the enthronement of freight forwarding as a profession in Nigeria.
“It is most unfortunate and regrettable that the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) may not have realized that its most strategic partner in the administration and management of Customs Laws is the CRFFN.
“In a situation whereby the Comptroller General of Customs Rtd. Col. Hameed Ali during his familiarization tour of the Western Command did not include CRFFN HQRS among other Government agencies and parasatals he visited underscores the fact that the two organizations i.e. CRFNN and the NCS may not be on the same page. We may not blame CGC Hameed Ali at the moment because we just assume that the Protocol Officers may have deliberately acted otherwise.
“Our hope and thinking is that the new DCG’s and ACG’s shall help him to drive the reform and restructuring exercise to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind.
“NAGAFF is conversant and familiar with all the newly appointed management team of the service and we do endorse their competence and capacity to drive the presidential mandate of reform, restructure and enhanced revenue collections in the Customs ports and approved border stations” he observed further, drawing attention of the new management to the danger in the Licensing regulation which award Customs clearing licence to Corporate entities.”
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