By Kenneth Jukpor
* No crisis in NAGAFF – Tanko
Following the protest by freight forwarders at Clarion Bonded Terminal on Monday over 14 vehicles trapped at terminal and 19 containers allegedly diverted from Tin Can Island Port (TCIP), the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Olakunle Oloyede has promised to address the issue in few days.
The National Chairman of 100 percent Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko revealed this yesterday while addressing journalists.
According to Tanko, the Customs boss had reached out to the Compliance Team and asked for few days to be able to address the issue as Clarion Bonded Terminal demanded over N8million DN from the freight agent despite appropriate Custom duties already paid.
Tanko, however, stressed that there is no crisis in NAGAFF, reacting to a report credited to the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Chapter Chairman of NAGAFF, Engr. Emmanuel Umeadi who attacked Tanko for picketing Clarion bonded terminal without informing him.
Engr Umeadi had reportedly accused the compliance team of high handedness and usurpation of the office of national president of NAGAFF and expressed displeasure that his office was ignored as he argued that the terminal is under the jurisdiction of his chapter.
Responding, Alhaji Tanko stated that there was no crisis in the association as reported in some sections of the media.
He explained that if there was crisis in the association, the founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam and National President, Tochukwu Esizi would not have gone with him to see the Customs Area Controller of Tin Can in connection with the issue.
According to him, what the team is out to unravel is how nineteen 40ft containers disappeared from the Tin Can without getting to the bonded terminal as the Customs officers in the terminal testified that they did not exit the containers.
On the claim that the bonded terminal falls within KLT jurisdiction, Tanko said the claim was not true, he said that the terminal fell under Tin Can chapter and Tin Can Customs.
He maintained that before he carries out any operation, he always notifies the National President as well as the chapter chairman of any chapter he is going to carry out an operation.
“We did not do anything wrong, we are only defending our members. There is no crisis in NAGAFF, we are one in NAGAFF,” he submitted.
