By Steve Agbota
The former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, has faulted the involvement of foreigners in cargo clearance, which he said is depriving Nigeria acruable revenue and employment opportunities.
Speaking in Lagos when he paid a courtesy visit to the founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Boniface Aneibonam, in Apapa, Bello noted that the practice was depriving Nigerians of benefits especially in the area of job creation as well as accruable revenue from the sector.
He added that freight forwarders own the economy, being its driving force because they are link between the importers and the end users of such imports.
“Foreigners are now involved in freight forwarding and in my opinion, it should be indigenously operated. Involvement of foreigners in freight forwarding can only be allowed in Nigeria,” he stated.
He further explained that overdependence on import is not good for the economy, even as he applauded government for shifting focus to export. The former NSC boss, noted that why he is not against importation, the nation must focus more on export and freight forwarders are the facilitators of export trade also.
While charging the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA)and the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) to help ensure that freight forwarders in the country are united and are in tune with the current developments at the global level.
He also charged freight forwarders to embark on self development to be ready for changes that are coming at the world level.
While responding, Aniebonam said that the creation of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, (CRFFN), was meant to address the challenges mentioned by Bello but stressed that some persons for personal reasons dragged it into the Ministry of Transportation as an agency of government.
Aniebonam explained that NAGAFF has been in court ever since, with the case dragging up to the Supreme Court.
He noted that with the separation of Marine and Blue Economy from the ministry of transportation, where will the CRFFN operate from.
He stressed that until CRFFN is taken away from the ministry to stand on it’s own as it was originally intended, the freight forwarding profession will not progress.