Boniface Aniebonam, founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), has called on members to adopt professional standards and desist from bribery in cargo clearance activities.

Mr Aniebonam said this on Friday in Lagos during the inauguration of executives for four Western Zone chapters of the association.

He urged freight forwarders to undergo professional training at the NAGAFF Academy instead of cutting corners in cargo clearance.

He expressed concern over the absence of a functional office for the Port and Cargo Multi Services Ltd. (PTML) chapter, urging its leadership to provide a proper structure for members to operate effectively.

He warned elected officers against pursuing personal interests at the expense of members, noting that NAGAFF was established to promote lawful trade facilitation and professional freight forwarding.

Mr Aniebonam said NAGAFF membership extended beyond customs-licensed agents, explaining that the association represented logistics managers certified to handle cargo professionally from origin to destination.

He cited the acquisition of a property worth N440 million for members and the expenditure of N90 million on legal fees as evidence of the association’s commitment to building a sustainable organisation.

He also gave the Tin Can Island and Apapa chapters a deadline to resolve internal disputes arising from alleged membership registration fraud, warning that executives who failed to comply could be suspended.

Mr Aniebonam, who is also the first national president of the association, commended President Bola Tinubu for his support and called for improved security across the country.

According to him, freight forwarding businesses cannot thrive in an atmosphere of insecurity and distress.

He maintained that the association remained the largest freight forwarding body in Nigeria and urged members to promote unity, respect the rule of law, and ensure proper identification at all port locations.

Also speaking, the president of NAGAFF, Tochukwu Ezisi, urged the newly elected executives of the four chapters in the South-West Zone to regard leadership as a collective responsibility and a commitment to service with integrity.

MrEzisi congratulated the new executives and reminded them that leadership was both a privilege and a responsibility requiring dedication, vision, and accountability.

He charged them to work towards making the Western Zone a hub of maritime activities through discipline, professionalism, and effective advocacy.

He also urged them to prioritise the interests of NAGAFF and its members in their decisions, assuring them of the support of the national body in achieving their mandates.

Speaking in separate interviews with journalists on the sidelines of the inauguration, the newly elected chairmen outlined their priorities.

The newly elected chairman of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal chapter, Benjamin Nnam, said his emergence fulfilled a long-held ambition within NAGAFF.

Mr Nnam pledged to follow the guidance of the founder and national president while prioritising information flow, teamwork, and unity.

He said his administration would focus on members’ welfare, compliance, and collective responsibility, with plans to reposition the chapter during his four-year tenure.

The chairman of the PTML chapter, Thomas Alor, identified the lack of a functional office as a major challenge and promised to address the structural problems within the first six months of his tenure.

Mr Alor said his administration would focus on restoring members’ confidence and securing a permanent secretariat with the support of the NAGAFF leadership.

He urged members to unite in repositioning PTML as a strong freight forwarding base.

Similarly, the chairman of the CEME chapter, Chekube Egbuchunem, said his priority was to rebuild trust and ensure members operated within the law to avoid sanctions and unnecessary financial losses at the ports.

Mr Egbuchunem stressed the importance of capacity building through the NAGAFF Academy to minimise declaration errors.

He pledged to run an open-door administration focused on prompt dispute resolution and measurable results in line with professional standards.

The chairman of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) chapter, Fatai Sulaimon, described air cargo operations as critical to the freight forwarding industry.

Mr Sulaimon promised to improve member engagement and compliance with aviation and customs procedures at the airport.

He said his administration would prioritise training, proper documentation, and protection of members from extortion.

Mr Sulaimon also called for unity among licensed and unlicensed freight forwarders to achieve collective goals. 

(NAN)