-by our correspondent.
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has activated the second stage of Trade Compliance Engagement in the Customs Ports and approved Border Stations.
In a statement the founder of NAGAFF. Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, said activation of the second phase is sequel to the establishment of a five-man Committee of Special Duty Response Team to compliment the efforts of the general duty Committee members of the Trade Compliance team at Zones and Area Commands of the Customs Ports and Border Stations nationwide.
In his words; “This has become necessary for the obvious reason that the operational structure of NAGAFF does not permit the leadership of the Compliance Team at the Zones and Area Commands to hook-up with the Headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, NAFDAC, NDLEA, NSC, NIMASA, NPA, etc. over their activities other than the authority of NAGAFF Headquarters to do so.
This presupposes that the Headquarters of the various Government Agencies and Parasatals designated at the Nigeria entry points may not be familiar and conversant with the activities of the NAGAFF Trade Compliance Team at the Customs Ports and approved Border Stations.’’.
“Accordingly, the vacancy created is to be filled up for higher stakes at this second stage of Trade Compliance engagements. This simply translates to the fact that any observations made by the Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim led Compliance Team at the various Commands level shall be forwarded to the home offices of the affected Government Agencies for further action.
It is our hope that Nigerians and the international community coming to transact businesses in our Ports and Borders shall be circumspect and law abiding in their dealings by observing and upholding the approved Standard Operating Conditions in our country.”
Dr. Aniebonam said the Compliance Team of NAGAFF at the Headquarters shall without fear or favour, highlight names of Government officials who may be aiding and abetting crime against the Nigerian State in the Customs Ports. “Make no mistake to understand that a business man has only one thing in mind – which is to make profit – and may not care so long as his actions translate to higher profit margin. He would go ahead to take the risk under the doctrine that business in itself is a risk. It is, indeed, most unfortunate but that is the situation on ground.” He noted.
He commended the professional competence of the Customs Area Comptroller in-charge of Apapa Port, Yusuf Malanta, for raising the bar to sanction some of the Bonded Terminals under his supervision, which are operating below the approved standard requirement. “This we consider as Compliance in action for the good of Ports productivity.”
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