A freight forwarder, Mr. Kenneth Okoro, has canvassed for collaboration among freight forwarding associations in the ports to enhance vehicle importation and reduce challenges automobile dealers face in doing their businesses.
In a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos, he also said that Mr. Okoro blamed the development on proliferation of freight forwarding associations in the ports.
“NAGAFF is an association and there are other associations in all the ports but the issue now is because there is high proliferation of associations in the Nigerian ports. So if I assume office as the Tin-Can chapter chairman of the association, I am going to work in consonance with other associations so that we will synergise on how to stop the issue of customs stopping vehicles on the road after being cleared”
He also maintained that there is need for our ports to operate in line with the international standard where what is obtainable in other West African countries will be obtainable here in Nigerian ports.
“We want a situation where what is obtainable in other African countries will also be obtainable here. If you go to Cotonou, under few hours your cargo is cleared. We want where the values of each commodity like vehicles will be in the computer so that when you click the year and the chassis number the duty payable will come out
Mr. Okoro lamented lack of inter-relationship between associations and stakeholders in Tin-Can ports.
“I have been into the business of freight forwarding at Tin-Can for almost 25 years now and it has dawned on me that there are many things that are seeking for change. Many things have gone wrong, our members at Tin Can are like sheep without shepherd, there is no inter-relationship between other stakeholders at the port. So we need to establish that especially in Tin-Can ports”, he concluded.
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