The founder of National Association of Government Approved Fret Forwarders ( NAGAFF) Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has raised the alarm over plots some individuals and groups to discredit freight forwarders operating within the PTML terminal.
He raised the alarm in a press release he issued in Lagos. While he prayed for God’s wisdom to arrest such people he said, it was the duty of PTML to inform and educate all concerned that NAGAFF was doing everything possible to protect all of freight forwarders and licensed customs agents operating in that terminal legally.
He said what NAGAFF was agitating for was to ensure that PTML management respect the Ports Order on matters of access control. According to him, the Port Order was very clear as to the process to be followed for all freight forwarders to gain access into the ports and terminals in the course of their legitimate duty. His words: “It is the directive of the Hon. Minister of Transport, that all freight forwarders who have legitimate businesses to do at the ports should be allowed into the ports with ID card issued by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) with the approval of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) being the Chief Security Officer of the seaports and terminals. The use of Form C30 of the Licensed Customs Agents is in breach of the Port Order. “Let it be told that NAGAFF management is in touch with the Government Authorities in this matter including the management of PTML who may be acting out of misinformation based on the alleged authority of the Customs to use Form C30 only for the access control
. “And for the emphasis, it is important that we inform all concerned that a Licensed Customs Agent is subsumed into the Logistics Chain of moving cargo across the international boundaries of a state to the final destination. ” It is of note to mention that it is mandatory for every Licensed Customs Agent to be duly registered and accredited by the CRFFN as a regulatory Agency of the Government. In this regard, it shall be a common sense that PTML management should adopt the Register of Freight Forwarders as compiled by CRFFN for the purposes of access control responsibilities. “In this wise, PTML is a hybrid freight forwarding and logistics service provider. It is an irony that PTML is shooting itself on the foot for denying access to her colleagues. Anyway, that is a matter for another day.
It is therefore to state clearly that our demand is as follows: 1. Access into the terminal should be free. Any administrative cost should be paid to NPA as the landlord of the port in line with Ports Order. “Access control measures should continue to exist without hindering access to Customs Officers on duty and other related service providers connected to cargo clearance out of Customs control in PTML.
