Our activities are not to witch hunt any terminal – NAGAFF compliance team 

The reaction is in view of the hostile reactions of some bonded terminals towards the group during its visits to the operators.

National Coordinator of the compliance team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko who disclosed this on Tuesday, during facility tour of SIFAX bonded terminals 1 and 2 and Classic bonded terminal in Amuwo Odofin,said the visit was to aid the operations of the bonded terminals

He added that it had become necessary to visit the facilities to know the state of equipment of the terminals where the members of NAGAFF do their businesses.

Recall that the team flagged off its operations last week, where the Coordinator advised operators of Mid Maritime Services Limited, Tin Can Island Port to upgrade some of the facilities, mostly as it affects flooding.

But speaking with journalists on the sideline of the tour, Tanko maintained that the compliance team has a mandate of addressing issues affecting trade facilitation and resolve some of challenges faced by the practitioners.

He reiterated that “The bonded terminal operators are beginning to see us as a threat and that is not what we want to achieve.

“However, some of these bonded terminal operators don’t have what it takes to own such facilities because you can see yourself that they lack some of the required equipment to run the terminal.

He stated further that: ”We have seen things for ourselves and we will write it the way we saw them and give out our information to the Nigerian Shippers Council and Nigerian Ports Authority”

According to him, NPA and Nigerian Shippers Council had asked the team to report issues confronting freight forwarders as against terminal operations, pointing out that compliance in port operations must be achieved.

While giving an update on the last week visit to Mid Maritime services Limited, Tanko disclosed that the terminal operator had assured the team that it would upgrade its facilities in the next six months.

At one of the off dock facilities owned by SIFAX Group, Deputy Comptroller in charge of terminal, Mrs Num F.N called on the NAGAFF team to up the ante in championing transparency in the exercise.

Tanko who led the team was accompanied by the Coordinator, Western Zone of the association, Dr. Fred Ajuzie