Shun division and fight course as one, group urges freight forwarding associations

A group of freight forwarders have called on the members of the five accredited freight forwarding associations to form a common front to fight against foreign dominance of freight forwarding in Nigeria.

According to the Nigerian Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC), the malaise is taking the available jobs away from indigenous operators.

The newly inaugurated President General of NAFFAC, Prince Adeyinka Bakare made the appeal in Lagos, Saturday during the inauguration of the new executives.

He appealed to all registered groups under the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to form a coalition to put an end to anti local content law practice by foreigners.

Members of the Lagos Airport chapter executives were also inaugurated at the event.

Bakare noted that the rate of foreign dominance in the clearance of cargoes from the sea, air and land borders was alarming, even as he maintained that with coming together of strong formidable group of practitioners with the council’s support, would create job opportunities for Nigerians in million ways.

He said, “If you look at the business of freight forwarding in Nigeria today, you find out that every Chinese or multinationals would want to deal with their representatives in Nigeria.

“What now happens to the indigenous operators on ground? We are running out of business because a lot of people are becoming jobless and these are some of the things we need to address under my tenure.

“NAFFAC cannot address it alone; neither can NAGAFF or ANLCA, AREFFN and the council because we don’t have one umbrella body that can do that for us.

“These five associations need to come together to make a single presentation as a whole and present it to the government and the agencies .

“If we continue to say something positive under one umbrella body then we are going to win the war together but I believe one group cannot do it alone”, he affirmed.

He added that the fight against foreign dominance in Nigeria cannot be successful without the support from the various associations backing the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

“Without the associations, there is no Council because we are the Council but the most important thing is for us to come together.”

Bakare further affirmed to hit the ground running, noting that plans are afoot to establish more chapters for the association.

Some of the chapters he pledged to set up are Kano, Apapa, and Calabar, saying the association would experience a wider scope in a couple of months.

Earlier, outgoing President General, Chukwuma Agubamah said the inauguration of the new executives marked a change of baton from PG two to PG three, adding that in due course the leadership would carry out the association mandates as enshrined in the constitution.

Agubamah maintained that “We shall maintain our cordial relationships with our sister associations and various agencies and bodies in the freight forwarding industry.

“To CRFFN, our regulator, in particular, this is a day No.3 of accredited associations re-affirms its loyalty and dedication being one of the strongest sponsors of your birth in 2007.

The newly inaugurated executives have Prince Adeyinka Bakare as President General, while, Alade Shabi is the National Secretary and Ignitius Iwuno emerged Public Relations Officer.

However, the Lagos chapter of NAFFAC inauguration has Abdul Abu as the Chairman while Paulinus Ndukweme as treasurer.

Others are Murphy Thomas as financial Secretary, Tony Mordi as PRO and John Iwuno as chief whip.