The founder of  the National  Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders  (NAGAFF ), Dr Boniface Aniebonam, has accused the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) of responsible for the failure of the Council  for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to carry out a successful registration of freight forwarders in the maritime industry in addition to all the council-related  matters.
Aniebonam,  who was the Guest Speaker at the Association of Maritime Journalists of  Nigeria’s monthly roundtable forum recently , disclosed that the action of the shippers  council  in capacitated the CRFFN from day one, noting that the undue interference derailed the vision of the council.
The NSC, he said, also helped its sister association, the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to rig the first maiden election which produced eight members of  ANLCA in the Governing Council of CRFFN, and  more or less rendered it an appendage of ANLCA.
He also faulted the attempt to make CRFFN an arm of the Federal Ministry of Transport as against being an independent council conceived to provide direction and focus for professionalism and capacity building.
Aniebonam  chided  the plot underway to amend the law establishing the council to enable the president appoint the chairman of the board.
“From the first election, they  (NSC) helped  the other group to rig the election,that was how members from the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents produced eight members in the Governing Council and they decided to turn it  an ANLCA affairs.
“Are you  aware that they have decided to amend the CRFFN act so as to  enable Mr president appoint the head of the board?” .
Aniebonam  who doubles as the National Chairman of New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), while speaking  said the planned withdrawal of service by freight forwarders  under the auspices of NAGAFF/ ANLCA hinted that government was committed towards an amicable resolution of areas of conflicts freight forwarders have identified.
Recall that both ANLCA and NAGAFF had given 21 days ultimatum to the government to address the issue of corruption in the sector.  He believed that continuous  engagement of government is bound to produce an acceptable work -t o – rule and cost efficient port system , which will ultimately make unpopular any resort to withdrawal of services.
He said, most of the issues and question was how we can make our ports system to be better. We have issues with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Terminal Operators among others. But we expect things to get better and there are signs ahead that government is listening and taking necessary action, he said.
On the arrest of containers by the police outside the Customs ports, the NAGAFF founder said, the police have wider powers to make arrests whenever they suspect foul play to undermine security of the country. He called on agents and their importers to always do the right thing but cautioned that it was not the duty of the police to determine value, concealments and other duties of the customs.
On the proposed Customs e-auction policy, Aniebonam advised  that the service should seek to amend the Auctioneers act, before implementing the new e-auction policy to avoid conflict of interest and litigation.

 Nkpemenyie  Mcdominic,  Lagos