The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has appreciated the efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Nigerian Police and Standards Organization of Nigeria for taking steps to enhance the ease of doing business at the nation’s ports.
The Association noted that the agencies above have invited stakeholders to discuss the best approach in addressing human element factors obstructing ease of doing business in our ports.
NAGAFF made this known in a press statement signed by its founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam.
However, NAGAFF said the need to issue Executive Order was an indictment of agencies of the government for failing to implement and enforce all extant laws and regulations guiding international trade and ports operations and management in Nigeria.
“We must acknowledge the efforts of the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority Hadiza Bala-Usman, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council Barr. Hassan Bello, the AIG Maritime of Nigerian Police and the Director General of Standards Organization of Nigeria, Osita Aboloma to have invited stakeholders to discuss the best way to go in addressing human element factors obstructing ease of doing business in our ports” the statement read.
Nevertheless, the association chided NAFDAC saying “We regret to state that despite the fact that NAFDAC officials are deployed at the entry points in our country to interdict the influx of fake and substandard pharmaceutical products and chemicals, the leadership of NAFDAC have not for once engaged the stakeholders on how best they could achieve their mandate and statutory duty effectively and responsibly.”
NAGAFF accused NAFDAC of being corrupt alleging connivance on the part of some of the NAFDAC officials to allow the various breaches of their statutory duty.
NAGAFF asked “why do Customs always hand over intercepted products to NAFDAC when their officials are found all over the entry points?”
“The expectation of NAGAFF is that by now, NAFDAC should have been able to key into the new concept of ease of doing business by engaging the freight practitioners on the best way to interdict fake and adulterated pharmaceutical products into Nigeria. They should be able to engage freight agents and other stakeholders over their concerns and worries about achieving their mandate with a view to adjusting to the concept of ease of doing business in their segment. It is apparent that NAFDAC may be more interested in revenue collection than their regulating and controlling responsibilities” the report said.
