NAGAFF Allays Fear of Insecurity As Ikorodu Terminal Comes Back to Life
The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has assured stakeholders of watertight security at the Ikorodu terminal, saying that there is no need to entertain fear of containers flying out of the port or getting breached.
NAGAFF has equally called for the infusion of more barges into movement of overtime cargoes so as to nake cargo evacuation easier and faster.
The Association said that currently, there is a watertight security system at Ikorodu terminal, adding that the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Ports Authority and the NAGAFF 100Percent Compliant Team are all on ground, working in synergy.
Speaking with DAILY TREND NEWS at the weekend, Chairman of Ikorodu chapter of NAGAFF, Mr Obinna Okafor expressed his appreciation to the Customs Comptroller General Hameed Ali and the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman for ensuring that overtime cargoes are transferred to Ikorodu.
According to him, “This is going to boost activities at the Lagos port, there would be more space, and cargoes would be moving out, as vessels are coming out, there turn around time would be reduced”
“It is a win win thing for everybody and we really appreciate the government, if the government can listen to professionals like us who are on ground, things would change, I thank the Customs CG and the NPA Managing Director for working in synergy, this has not happened before.
We are promising them that we would not disappoint”
“The security at Ikorodu terminal is very tight, the Customs, NPA are all on ground and things are going on seamlessly, so any form of cutting corners is zero tolerance, and even NAGAFF, we have our 100 percent clearance team on ground to direct our members to do things normally in order to achieve ease of doing business” he said
While giving an insight into operations at Ikorodu terminal, Mr Okafor said Customs would not tolerate any importer who deliberately abandon their cargoes at the ports so as to take it back through a buy-back scheme.
He said those with overtime cargoes are required to pay their duty, examination would be conducted and the government would generate its duty.
“The Customs would advise us on how best to move, and we would follow them”
“Customs would verify the person coming to take delivery of the cargoes and why is the overtime cargoes there, before they would give you clearance, it is not automatic, you have to convince them that you didn’t abandon the cargo intentionally”
On the foreseen challenges at the terminal, the NAGAFF Chairman said “We need more barges, this would make the evacuation easier and faster, the service providers should up their game in this regard”
