100 % Compliance Team working to facilitate trade – Dr Aniebonam * Laments loss of investments worth billions of Naira * Corruption is our enemy, not ANLCA, he says

100 % Compliance Team working to facilitate trade -Dr Aniebonam

*Laments loss of investments worth billions of Naira

* Corruption is our enemy, not ANLCA – he says

By Udeme Clement :

The Founder, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has said that the 100% Compliance Team set up by NAGAFF to monitor activities in the nation’s port is working assiduously to facilitate trade and not to witch-hunt anybody.

Dr Aniebonam cleared the air yesterday during a press conference at NAGAFF headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.

Aniebonam lamented that importers are losing investments worth billions of Naira to what he described as avoidable seizures.

He pointed out, “Today, importers lose investments running into billions of Naira due to non-compliance with trade regulations. Some of the seized items are trade-goods but are intercepted by Customs because of infractions.

“You can see that these are avoidable seizures. That is why the Compliance Team is sensitising freight forwarders and impoters on the urgent need to comply with the rules of engagement to prevent such losses.

“If we continue to lose investments, it will have adverse effect on the economy, because aside from local companies folding up, governent’s revenue will be affected negatively, as there will be no goods to clear in the ports.

“In fact, those working against the Compliance Team do not even understand that it is for their own good”.

Dr Aniebonam, who is also the National Chairman, New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, stated categorically that the Compliance Team is given the mandate to observe operations in the ports and report back to appropriate authority, in order to expose sharp practices in the ports”.

Aniebonam stressed, “As freight forwarders, we are sad to see huge seizures that Customs records regularly on trade goods.

“Nigerians are losing huge investments daily due to non-compliance to regulations. We must not continue to keep quiet because this ugly trend is affecting our economy negatively.

“The Compliance Team must continue to carry out its functions in the best interest of our economy because our people, brothers, principals are losing their means of livelihood. We can’t keep quiet anymore !

“The Compliance Team is working to also support government in revenue generation and trade facilitation for optimum economic growth and development”.

Responding to questions on the challenges facing ANLCA at the moment, the NAGAFF Founder explained, “ANLCA is not our enemy.  Our enemy is corruption in the ports.
ANLCA needs prayer.”

He called on ANLCA to partner with NAGAFF in the advocacy to tackle corruption in the ports and add value to the system”.