PTML Port Access Saga: NAGAFF Urges Freight Forwarders To Stay Calm

The management of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has admonished aggrieved freight forwarders to remain calm over the controversial Port Access/Identity Card policy of the authorities at the PTML.

The association said it was already holding talks with the Federal Ministry of Transport and some agencies of Government like the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as well as other relevant agencies towards resolving the problem.

This position was contained in a press release signed by the Head of Special Duty at NAGAFF headquarters, Rev. Emma Agubanze.

According to the association, “This call has become imperative to avert the likely consequences of any form of protest or demonstration as disgruntled elements could hijack the genuine struggle of the agitating freight forwarders to wreak havoc”

NAGAFF also assured its members that it was also holding talks with a legal team as to establish the culpability of the affected company with a view to recouping all monies illegally collected from NAGAFF members in the process of acquiring PTML’s Port Access/Identity Card.

“We wish to put it on record that we are in touch with the management of PTML towards finding a common ground over the lingering issues.  The Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam and the Managing Director of PTML Mr. Ascanio Russo are in serious discussion over this matter and both leaders are determined to take advantage of this window of negotiations to lay the matter to rest.  As a matter of fact Dr. Aniebonam has also been making personal contact with major stakeholders in the industry towards putting the matter behind us”

“We therefore appeal to the authorities of PTML to work in line with the terms of the concessioning agreement and in obedience to the laws of Nigeria.  We wish to reiterate that no progress can be made in an atmosphere of impunity and chaos” the press release said.

NAGAFF called on its members to avoid any act capable of inciting violence as the body believed in fighting battles in the boardroom of cerebral display of knowledge, instead of going physical which has no place in modern day trade dispute negotiations.

Meanwhile, in another press release, NAGAFF maintained that it was compulsory for all practicing Freight Forwarders and Licensed Customs Agents as secondary Freight Agents to register with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

NAGAFF stressed that it was a fact that CRFFN by law had the mandate to regulate and control the practice of freight forwarding in Nigeria.

“At the moment, there are five registered Associations of Freight Agents recognized by CRFFN and for which NAGAFF is the major player among others with the greatest number of followers and spread across the entry points of Nigeria international trade.

“It is also at this point that we wish to inform all freight forwarders that CRFFN is about to conduct election into the Governing Board of the Council management and administration.  NAGAFF has just concluded its chapter election within the Western operation whereby every voter and contestants were mandated to show evidence of membership of CRFFN.  It is on record that well over ten thousand practitioners showed interest during the election as individual and corporate members of CRFFN.  We advise that those who did not make it during the election are once more given opportunity to conclude their registration with CRFFN to enable them participate in the forthcoming CRFFN election which is coming up in the next one month”

NAGAFF also revealed that officers of CRFFN have been deployed to NAGAFF headquarters to assist all those who intend to register with CRFFN, adding that as part of its social responsibility, it would help members who had made the first payment into the Council to complete the last stage of registration with CRFFN if they couldn’t pay for it.