As Nigerians prepare to cast their votes on Saturday, the founder and spiritual leader of New Nigerian People’s Party(NNPP), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has called on them, especially the maritime industry stakeholders to elect a leader with the capacity and courage to effect changes in the country.
Aniebonam said the Presidential candidate of NNPP, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has the courage and needed experience to transform the economy and the maritime industry in particular, recalling that he is the only candidate who had gone into a social contract with the maritime industry.
Addressing the press on Thursday in Lagos in a last minute move to woo voters, especially undecided voters, Aniebonam said,” We need to move out in numbers and vote Kwankwaso as president to redirect the future of the maritime industry. Tell shippers, freight forwarders, manufacturers , among others that NNPP has its root in maritime industry. Let them know that NNPP is our own. Let us go and get power.”
He said in the first one year in office Kwakwaso would have started delivering his social contract with the maritime industry which were listed as granting partial autonomy to Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) and establishing Customs Service Commission as well as the appointment of a career customs officer as the Comptroller General of Customs.
The contract also stated the reversal of the trade policy on 41 items barred from accessing forex by the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) because it is incongruent with section 27,28,and 29 of the Customs and Excise Management Act(CEMA).
The port concession policy and performance shall be reviewed and operators found incompetent shall be revoked as the concept of build, operate and transfer must be enforced to enable job creation and transfer of technology to prosper.
Among many other items on the contract, the Founder recalled that the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria(CRFFN) will be moved from the Federal Ministry of Transportation to the Ministry of Trade and Industry to enhance revenue collection and professionalism.
