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The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Clearing Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) have released a joint press release endorsing the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
The joint press release by the sister maritime agencies ANLCA and NAGAFF highlighted thirty-five (35) benefits of the CTN and accused those against the initiative as enemies of trade facilitation and the safety and security of the nation.
ANLCA and NAGAFF in the release signed by their presidents Olayiwola Shittu and Eugene Nweke, posited that they had taken a cautious review and study of the Cargo Tracking Notes in other countries with keen interest on the cost implications on cargo and asserted that while the scheme will attract additional costs to the shippers’ the benefits would immensely impact the international supply chain with regards to trade facilitation as well as safety and security.
The release read, “The ANLCA and NAGAFF INITIATIVE while placing explicit confidence on the Nigerian Shipper’ Council’s capacity to promptly supervise the scheme as well as its affirmed position, that the administrative cost will be borne by the carrier, will not in any way increase prevailing shipment rates from various ports of origin. And having noted the following enormous benefits (which out-weighs the administrative cost) of the International Cargo Tracking Note (if promptly administered) is sacrosanct. And taking into cognizance the overall impact on the international trade supply chain with regards to safety, security and trade facilitation, we hereby request all well-meaning Freight Forwarders to support the Nigerian Shippers Council in its noble quest to adding value to our international trade supply chain”.
Some of the benefits highlighted in the release include enabling faster cargo clearance time, serve as data source and information exchange platform among various agencies of government, boost the revenue of the Customs, NPA and NIMASA, and increase the level of compliance by the shippers, among others.
This development will be very much welcomed by the NSC as other institutions have begun to rally against the CTN initiative such as the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria which has written to the President on reasons to jettison the CTN.
