FIDELIS UGBOMEH
The 24th anniversary of National Association of Government Approved Freight forwarders, NAGAFF was recently marked with pomp and peagentry.
The well attended ceremony was a roll call of who is who in the freight forwarding, shipping, transport and the entire maritime industry of the Nigerian economy.
The anniversary ceremony equally offered the group the opportunity to honour some well meaning and maritime industry experts who have distinguished themselves through their various contributions to the growth and development of the freight forwarding subsector.
National President, NAGAFF, High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi said the gathering was to celebrate the 24th survival journey of NAGAFF, (one of the biggest freight forwarding associations making waves in the country) through thick and thin that had made the group what they are today.
According to the national president if NAGAFF, "This divine birth of NAGAFF in 1999 marked the beginning for emancipation and professionalism in the freight forwarding in Nigeria with about 700 participants who unanimously elected Dr. Aniebonam as the pioneer national president of the association".
Ezisi noted that since then, NAGAFF has grown and developed significantly under the pilotage of seasoned leaders, from Dr. Aniebonam, who doubles as the founder and pioneer national president, to late Fwdr Usman Sanusi of blessed memory, down to able-bodied Chief (Dr.) Eugene Nweke, Chief Executive Officer (CEO/MD), Vitues Marine Services Limited, to late Fwdr. Okueole Adeyemi and now himself, High Chief Tochukwu Ezisi (RFF).
He said in those difficult years, there were other invincible and enviable hands that worked behind the scenes throughout the formative and developmental stage of the association.
"NAGAFF is a testament of your hard work, I assure that we will continue to solidify and keep building upon the labour of our heroes, both past and present," he declared.
The NAGAFF boss said the group started with a meagre number of freight forwarders but today has grown in numerical strength of over 10,000 registered members based on the present NAGAFF's data base in line with the present administration of Ezisi who is committed in adding more members to it's membership strength, reminding their guests that at the moment NAGAFF under him is work harder on digitalising the records of NAGAFF membership nationwide with an automated data base.
Ezisi pointed out that for the past 24 years of navigating the ship of the freight forwarding business in Nigeria, the association spread virally across all Customs and border stations in the country, providing professional freight forwarding services that has been sustained within these 24 uninterrupted years and without any firm of division among the membership.
According to the president over the years they have been able to contribute immensely Nigeria's Gross Domestic Products, GDP through adequate payment of Customs duties, levies and Practitioners' Operating Fees, POF accrued to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam, recalled how he personally initiated and fight for the establishment of the today's Council for the establishment of Freight Forwarding Practice in Nigeria, CRFFN, insisting that the council is mistaken to be a one of the federal government Parastatals, adding that that can not be as though the matter is still with the court.
He told his guests that one of them in the freight forwarding business to the public hearing then in Abuja that he was purposely there to kill the CRFFN's bill but was frankly told by the law makers that they don't kill bills there.
That today those fights and whatever that took place at the formative stage of CRFFN should encourage the present young freight forwarders to endure that the fight to build the Council and the Industry continues.
The founder, who is also the founder of the New Nigerian People's Party, NNPP, further maintained that NNPP is firmed by NAGAFF and that every freight forwarder in the country should see it as his or her part, belong so that through that freight forwarders will make the necessary changes they have been clamouring for over the years.
He therefore called and pleaded with young Freight Forwarding practitioners to go back to the classrooms to educate themselves and develop themselves.
The highlights of the occasion was the cutting of the 24th anniversary cake and the award giving to notable individuals within the maritime industry.
Those the association honoured include, Deputy Comptroller Gambo Iyere Aliyu, the DC Enforcement, Tin Can Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.
DC Aliyu is a graduate of Bachelor Degree holder from the University of Ilorin and also a Certified Threat Analyst and Certified Private Investigator from the International Security Organisation, Switzerland and Dr. Kayode Farinto, the immediate past Acting National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs
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