Even though it acknowledged that the intensified efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service against smuggling activities will give impetus to the success of the transformation programme of government, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has written a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan on the need to exercise caution.
Even though it acknowledged that the intensified efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service against smuggling activities will give impetus to the success of the transformation programme of government, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has written a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan on the need to exercise caution.
In a copy of the letter which was forwarded to Shipping Position Daily, NAGAFF expressed strong dissatisfaction at what it called, loss of investment by the trading public in the hands of Customs and other regulatory agencies of the government, stating that it is not healthy for a growing economy like Nigeria.
The association however advised the President that the Nigeria Customs Service and other regulatory agencies of the government should be directed to increase the concept of corrective measures instead of outright seizure of defaulting trade goods.
It pointed out that if traders continue to lose their investments in the manner it’s currently being done by customs, the desire of local manufacturing in Nigeria will remain a mirage.
Though it also acknowledge the presence of quacks within the freight forwarding community, NAGAFF called for an orientation agency of the Government to step forward in order to educate and enlighten traders and freight forwarders. It pointed out that the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala should also step forward to factor the informal sector group of the economy.
“The economy of Nigeria is in the hands of the informal sector group, we must know that because they are in the greater number. We also suggest and advise the Customs and other regulatory agencies of the government to increase the concept of corrective measures instead of outright seizure of defaulting trade goods”
“It is our view that we must exercise restraint equally in seizing trade goods because the greater number of these traders usually resorts to unwholesome acts after they have lost their investments in the hands of government agencies”, the association noted.
NAGAFF also advised the President on the need for the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar to step forward and implement the intendment of the Act establishing the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) in collaboration with critical stakeholders.
It argued that it is the role of the CRFFN as a regulatory agency domiciled in the Transport Ministry to control freight forwarding practice in Nigeria and to set standards and code of professional practice among the practitioners.
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