The training arm of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); the NAGAFF Academy has matriculated 34 new intakes to equip them with the necessary skills, competence, and values desirable in the freight forwarding profession.
The founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, while encouraging the new students also urged them to develop a great quest for knowledge and take training seriously to attain national and global relevance in freight forwarding.
Speaking at the 2nd Matriculation of the NAGAFF Academy, he enjoined the new intakes to stand up and take the responsibility of tackling the challenges ahead.
“Earn your living with integrity and honour, shun bribery and corrupt practices in and out of the ports, digest every lecture and knowledge imparted into you by the academy and you’ll certainly be successful” he advised.
“NAGAFF is a revolutionary organization set up to shed the ills of freight forwarding in Nigeria. Education is the key to achieving this objective. Anything to the contrary you are not there. I have been able to do those things that I did with great minds because of the level of my education and knowledge, especially in what I do. As the founder and first president of NAGAFF, I was armed with knowledge. I worked with the Customs and thereafter I went to do these courses you are doing now, even as a president of NAGAFF. These courses prepared me for the greater challenges that is why I don’t read up anything to confront any situation. When you lack the knowledge you’ll be discussing morals rather than the point of law.” Dr. Boniface said.
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While giving the Matriculation Lecture titled: “Freight Forwarding as a Career: Benefits to the Nation”, the guest speaker Mr. Ray Ugochukwu stated the challenges faced in the industry particularly affecting the business of freight forwarding which include political intrigues insecurity, lack of good legislation amongst others.
He added that these problems can only be effectively tackled if there’s proper education and implementation of the knowledge acquired. “As you equip yourself, also equip your staff because if your staff doesn’t get it right then you’ll not get it right” he said.
Mr Ugochukwu elucidated the several benefits freight forwarding has for nation. “Freight forwarding in Nigeria has great potential in affecting the success and growth of the economy of the nation and the world at large through revenue generation, creation of job opportunities, facilitating international trade amongst others” he noted.
He however advised the management of the academy to look into the use of technology in delivering online lectures which he claimed will improve the level of growth and global relevance of the students.
The climax of the ceremony was the administration of Matriculation Oath on the students by the Chairman Board of Trustees of NAGAFF; Mr Chidiebere Enelamah
In an interview with one of the matriculating students who identified himself as Adelaja Olalekan, he expressed his joy and appreciation to the NAGAFF Academy for giving him such opportunity to be trained as a freight forwarder. “This is a dream come true and I’m happy for taking this decision. I am optimistic that at the end of this journey that started today, greater heights lies ahead for me” Olalekan said.
