As part of efforts to diversify the nation's economy from importation, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has advocated the need for stakeholders in the maritime industry to embrace exportation of wood and other agricultural produce.
The freight forwarding association has also set up a five-man national taskforce on wood export.
The committee has been mandate to explore avenues whereby tree planting would be encouraged in other for export to thrive.
The committee has Chief Fabian Okafor as Chairman and Mr. Ken Iyoha as secretary. Others are: Emmanuel Agunbanze, Donatus Ofoma and Ifeanyi Ekemezie.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily, exclusively, in Lagos yesterday, Chairman of the national taskforce on wood; Chief Fabian Okafor said the federal government was aggressive in encouraging exportation of agriculture produce, adding that NAGAFF as an institution was already in the forefront to encourage export.
“We can no longer depend on oil and that is why we are talking about how to encourage exportation so also we are talking about agriculture products for export", he said.
The former Chairman, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) chapter of NAGAFF also stressed the need for wood exporters to cultivate the habit of cut-one-plant-more trees syndrome, saying, "in order for the trees not to go extinct, I will advocate for exporters to ensure that after cutting the trees they should plant more of them".
Okafor added that exportation of Nigerian produces would boost revenue profile of the government.
He stressed that "for every wood that iscut, two should be planted because there are so many advantages from trees"
Okafor said the port quarantine were already put on notice because there was the need to sensitize stakeholders on the development.
"It is good to encourage wood export, we should not depend on foreign woods into our country and we want the foreigners to depend on our woods this time around and we are working to encourage wood and other agriculture produce for export", he added.
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