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The Nigerian Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidated (NAFFAC) Thursday inaugurated its Port Harcourt Airport chapter, while urging its members to abstain from practices that can tarnish the name of the country, themselves and that of the association.
NAFFAC’s President General, Dr. Adeyinka Bakare, who inaugurated the new chapter executives alongside the BoT chairman, Mr. Christian Ani, urged members to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the laws regulating the sector so as to have a good knowledge on how to operate within the ambit of the laws.
Tracing the origins of NAFFAC to “sometime in 1983,” when freight forwarders “at Lagos Airport were disappointed that the association called Association of Nigerian Customs Licensed Agents (ANCLA) was not responsive to problems related to export cargo but most attention to import cargo problems,” he said “these freight forwarders grouped themselves into a new body called Nigeria Association of Air Freight Forwarders & Consolidators (NAFFAC) and incorporated the new association in 1985 under the leadership of late Dr. Festus Fola Ijiti, the President-General, to address export related issues.
“Since 1985, NAFFAC has remained one solid association that has stood the test of time without rancor, internal crisis, leadership crisis and dismemberment as witnessed in some freight forwarders associations in our dear country.
“NAFFAC has played its role as required in the resolution of situations that freight forwarders find unacceptable to their practice and indeed played a role in the seminars led to fresh regulatory laws such as the 2006 Nigerian Civil Aviation Act and the Council for the Regulation -of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria Act 16/2007. NAFFAC continues to play its role when required to in national discourse of freight forwarding relevance. It is our resolve that we shall continue to play positive roles and parts to enhance the practice of freight forwarding by air, sea, land, waterways and rail,” Bakare said.
He assured members that “Whatever you do, it is my encouragement and that of NAFFAC that you do apply yourselves towards enhancing the fortunes of this our great country by abstaining from and rejecting practices that sully and tarnish the name of the country, yourselves and NAFFAC.
“Dear colleagues permit me therefore to remind ourselves that in our activities, we have various regulatory agencies with which we interact and it is quite paramount we understand their various roles and what are not their roles according to the national laws setting them up.
“In this regard, we encourage you to acquaint yourselves with relevant provisions of such laws as Customs & Excise Management Act, Nigerian Shippers Council Act, NCAA’s Civil Aviation Act 2006, FAAN Act 9 of 1996 as amended by Decree 52 of 1996, Council for Regulations of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Act 16, 2007, NAFDAC Act, Standard Organization of Nigeria Act and SONCAP, etc.
“Understanding the relevant provisions of these Acts enables you perform within the law and these are easily accessible through the websites of the various organizations.
He admonished the members to register with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) saying that is what can give them leeway to lawful practice of the profession.
Highlighting some of the achievements of the group, Bakare who is also an elected member of the board of CRFFN, said NAFFAC had played its role as required in the resolution of situations that freight forwarders found unacceptable to their practice and indeed played a role In the seminars leading to fresh regulatory laws such as the 2006 Nigerian Civil Aviation Act and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria Act 16, 2007.
“NAFFAC continues to play its role when required in national discourse of freight forwarding relevance. It is our resolve that we shall continue to play positive roles and parts to enhance the practice of freight forwarding by air, sea, land, waterways and rail.
BoT chairman, Mr. Christian Ani, said NAFFAC has embarked on a new spirit of rebranding its operations and activities, while urging the new Port Harcourt Airport chapter executives to imbibe diligence, team work and quality leadership as qualities necessary for taking the association to next level.
CRFFN’s director, regulations and enforcement, Basil Opara, who represented the council’s registrar/CEO, commended NAFFAC’s growth projectile since its establishment, noting that the association has maintained a health growth among its peers.
Those inaugurated as the chapter’s new executive include, Comr. Emeka Nwaiwu (coordinator), Kenneth Kalu Okoro (chairman), Sir Innocent Abraham (vice chairman), Ansah Agbo (secretary) and Anthony Okeke (treasurer).