NAGAFF establish technical group cargo logistics, customs facilitation to understand specific functions 

Stanley Ihedigbo

National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), has created and established a technical support group cargo logistics and customs facilitation to undertake specific functions.

According to the  founder, NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam, they are to facilitate and ensure that multi modal transport system and customs facilitation come on stream up- north of the federal Republic of Nigeria

“Within the period under review we have received several complaints from our members and shippers in kano, Kaduna and Abuja specifically the inherent problems associated with taking delivery of cargo from the mother ports of the south West and southeast to the northern parts of the federation due to insecurity, bad road and cost of doing business

“We have decided to setup a technical support group cargo logistics and customs facilitation unit to engage the agents of the government associated with regulation and control of cargo movement from the mother ports to inland container terminals .

“Therefore the primary responsibility of the group shall include but not limited to interphasing with the Nigeria customs service, Nigeria ports authority and Nigeria railway and other related agencies of the government in that regard,” he added.

He explained that they are also expected to linkup with the organised bodies of the trade groups involved in import and export trade in the north and avail them to the opportunities provided at the inland container terminals operations of the northern part of the country

“The good news is the emergence of Dala Inland Dry Port , the most modern inland container terminal springing up in kano state and doing everything possible to make importers and exporters of the northwest, northeast and north central to become competitive in their businesses

“This simply means that every importer and exporter of the northern extraction may not bother to come to lagos or any of the mother ports of the southern part of the country to take delivery or export their cargo . Aside from reduction of cost the safety of cargo and efficient time of doing business is guaranteed.

“The technical group members are, Chairman , Patrick Ogbo; Secretary, Mr. Francis Omoshoto;  Technical , Dr. Arthur Igwilo; NPS, Dr. Clement Iwegbuna; Northern Zonal Secretary, Alhaji Bello Magaji; Logistics, Ms. Ruth Sunday and others,” he noted.

Aniebonam commended Managing Directors,  Nigeria Railway, Nigerian Ports Authority and Comptroller – General , Nigeria Customs Service,  who made it possible for the most modern inland container terminal in Kano to receive the first batch of containers through rail.