APFFLON Inaugurates Three New Chapters, Floats Cooperative, Land Schemes

The African Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics in Nigeria (APFFLON) has inaugurated three new seaport terminal chapters in a bid to boost activities at the areas.

APFFLON recorded this feat yesterday even as it revealed its Cooperative society with robust welfare packages for members including; health, insurance and land acquisition schemes.

Speaking during the inauguration at the Association’s national secretariat in Lagos, the President, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite said that the association has left a mark on the nation’s maritime and aviation sectors despite having existed for about three years.

Ogunojemite highlighted the some significant impact of the association to be efforts against monopolies, arbitrary increase in charges, strong positions against hostile policies, among others.

“When Ports and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) recently announced increment in tarrif and other associations endorsed it, APFFLON kicked against this and Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) reached us and we have sufficient reasons for our position. This increment was reversed after the intervention of NSC with APFFLON playing a key role.”

“APFFLON also fought the monopoly at the aviation sectors with the two ground handling companies, NAHCO and SAHCO increasing their charges by 70%. We are currently in court with these organizations, but the COVID-19 pandemic has affected court sitting. This increment has been reduced to 40% but we insist on zero increment,” he said.

The APFFLON boss also noted that the group had made several engagements with Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Police, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), among others to address several bottlenecks affecting port business in the country.

He, however, stressed that APFFLON isn’t confined to Nigeria, revealing that plans have been initiated to have the Association’s presence in South Africa, Ghana and Ethiopia.

The three chapters inaugurated yesterday were Apapa, Tin Can and Ikorodu chapters.

The Apapa chapter had Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan as the Chairman and Mr. Martins Adinmoye as the Vicer Chairman , with Mr Patrick Ozah as the General Secretary.

The Tin Can Chapter has Mr Godfrey Nwosu as the Chairman, Prince Ayeni Adekunle as the Vice and Rose Orumor as the Secretary.

Ikorodu chapter has Alhaji Ismail Adeniyi as the Chairman, Chief Okey Nneke as the Vice Chairman among other executives.

Meanwhile, the Murtala Muhammed Airport chapter ,also witnessed some restructuring with Mr. Ibeh Martin’s as the Coordinator and Ganiyu Kolawole as the assistant coordinator.

The event also witnessed the swearing in of new national executives. Chief Bartholomew Onuoha was sworn in as the national Vice President, Barr. Adeniyi Adebowale as the National Secretary among others.