NAGAFF Advocates SON Return In Ports Operations

Apparently worried about delay in the clearance of cargoes from the seaports, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has advocated the need for the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to be posted back to the ports.
Founder of NAGAFF; Dr. Boniface Aniebonam made the plea on Tuesday in Lagos when members of Maritime Correspondents Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) paid him a courtesy visit.
It would be recalled that the former Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in 2011, released a list of agencies that have been barred from operating at the nation’s ports, SON was top the list of agency to leave the ports.
But Aniebonam in the interaction recalled that the association had earlier advised the government to return SON to the ports in order to bring about smooth flow of clearance.
He further alleged that customs cannot release some cargoes except the intervention of the Dr. Joseph Odumodu-led agency.
The NAGAFF stalwart reiterated that the development has led to a situation whereby thousands of consignments are trapped at the seaports.
“What we are trying to say now is that the risk associated with cargo clearance at the ports; therefore the SON needs to come back to the ports”, he added.
Speaking further he said, “either knowingly or unknowingly , agents will go to the port to perform examination only for them to go for customs release and discover that the attention of SON is needed, leading to double examination”
According to him, SON has become a major player in e-commerce as far as customs operations is concerned ,pointing out that, “there is no way you can open form M without getting proper adherence to standards and rules”
“If you don’t have product certificate you cannot even secure PAAR notice from the customs which is now on -line”
He added that SON and NAGAFF are responsible partners on issues bothering on international best practices.
The freight forwarder further disclosed that clearing of cargoes at the moment takes up to two weeks, because of the absence of SON in the ports.