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NAGAFF Tackles Customs, APMT Over Abandoned Bonded Terminal

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Freight forwarders, under the aegis of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) 100% Compliance Team, have queried the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and AP Moller Terminal Apapa for depriving bonded terminals of requisite cargoes.

This was one of the conclusions from the inspection of bonded terminals around the Abuleosun area in Lagos by the National Coordinator, of the NAGAFF Compliance Team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, yesterday.

During the tour, the Task Team engaged the leadership of GMT Terminal which has a spacious facility to handle about 5,000 containers, multiple Reach Stackers, and cranes, among other equipment lying fallow without any container received in over five months.

Speaking with journalists on the sidelines, Tanko said; “Despite the pressure at Apapa port and complaints about congestion, we have discovered that some terminals are abandoned like the GMT Terminal. There is no single container at the terminal because according to the managers of the bonded terminal, APMT refused to send containers to the bonded terminal.”

“Another concern is that the investor was encouraged to spend monies in setting up such a huge facility that can take over 5,000 containers yet there is no activity going on there. Since they were licensed by Customs, why are they being deprived of containers whereas in Apapa the problem is about congestion.”

Tanko, however, noted that his team would discuss with the Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command and equally engage the managers of APMT Apapa to find out if there are other covert issues preventing the use of bonded terminals like GMT.

Also speaking, the General Manager of GMT Bonded and Offdock Terminals, Mr. Waseem Rasheed stated that the bonded terminal is under the Apapa Customs Command which has APMT as its major terminal operator.

“The issue is that cargoes are only sent to other bonded terminals from APMT when there is no space in APMT Apapa. This is very bad for our business. It is only when APMT is congested that they would direct shipping lines to stem containers to bonded terminals. That wasn’t the assurance we got when coming into this business.”

“In over 4 or 5 months we haven’t had any business to do. We just come to the office to sit down and hope that cargoes arrive. We have to pay staff salaries, we have huge equipment with reach stackers, cranes; we also have to provide security, power supply, among other things without doing any business,” Rasheed lamented.

The NAGAFF Team

Meanwhile, he expressed optimism that Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) which encouraged investments in bonded terminal operations years ago will create a business environment that would see bonded terminal operations thrive.

At another bonded terminal, SAPID, also at Abuleosun, Tanko lamented the unhealthy work environment characterized by intense heat as freight forwarders are kept under heat-absorbing roofing sheets leading to extremely hot conditions.

“We are going to officially send a letter to SAPID on this issue of unpalatable work environment. During our engagement with the Deputy Controller at the facility, he claimed that even among the Customs offices only his office has a functional air conditioner. I want to believe that SAPID is ready for bonded terminal operations and if that is the case, they should have an environment conducive for business,” Tanko said.

According to him, the letter to SAPID on its unacceptable work environment will be sent to the terminal today and will specify a timeline to address the issue or face strike actions and protests from freight agents.

The task team also visited the Classic bonded terminal where the operators lamented that activities of Area Boys affiliated to the Local Government have limited the patronage of the facility, as trucks exiting the bonded terminal are being forced to pay unreceipted levies. 

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NAGAFF Vows to Stop Kwankwaso from Taking Over NNPP

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NNPP inaugurates 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Aniebonam remains BoT Chairman

…Votes N150m take off professional fees for lawyers to begin litigation warfare!

Members of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) will vehemently resist the taking over of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) by the group noted to be loyal to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

It would be recalled that the NNPP was originally founded by the National Association of Government-Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF, largely to provide a credible platform for maritime industry stakeholders to make a national impact within the nation’s political space.

It. would also be recalled that the former Governor of Kano, Senator Kwankwaso latched on the NNPP, after his effort to run as the flag bearer of another political party was dimmed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who emerged as the PDP presidential candidate.

NNPP inaugurates 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Aniebonam remains BoT Chairman

Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso

Presently, a statement issued by the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Clement Iwegbuna, lamented that what started as a child’s play is becoming a reality with the body language and actions of Senator Kwankwaso to highjack NNPP from the original owners, the members of  NAGAFF.

In a swift move, the president of NAGAFF, leading the pack of resourceful young freight forwarders said the original are poised to match money for money and contact for contact to retrieve NNPP from the people tagged ungrateful.

The statement revealed that the sum of N150,000,000 has been contributed as a take-off professional fee for the lawyers to take on the serial litigations upcoming.

NAGAFF accused Kwankwaso of court abuse with the institution of a court case involving INEC at Kano State High Court. “And so what does it take someone who held the position of minister of defence and member of the national assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to know that it is out of jurisdiction to do so.

NNPP is a national party and INEC is a federal commission. “Let Nigerians be told that there is a new order in Nigeria judiciary at the moment. If Senator Kwankwaso likes let him, Elder Buba Galadima and all of them who are the former members of the National Working Committee led by Alhaji Abbah Kawu who was alleged not to be able to write a statement at the state police command, Abuja when he reported a case against Mr Phillip Oyana the Zonal Secretary North Central of New Nigeria Peoples Party.

“Our young, vibrant and informed lawyers shall meet him and his cohorts in court. Once again we hold no malice against any person. All members of NNPP and NAGAFF are children of God and always ready to show love to all manner of people who may come our way,” the statement further said.

The statement directed and appealed to all members of NAGAFF and NNPP to keep the peace of the society and be law abiding and respectful to the constitution of Nigeria.

“Regret to note that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had avoidably prided himself to have brought NNPP to relevance and recognition. Tell the American marine that trash for the fact that Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso forgot to note that NNPP is as old as People’s Democratic Party of Nigeria spanning over 24 years in existence. He joined less than 2yrs ago.

“We consider Senator Kwankwaso as someone who is avoidably arrogant and proud for no good reasons. This is because NNPP provided him the opportunity to contest the Presidency of Nigeria 2023 with great men like the current president of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (PDP) and Mr. Peter Obi of the Labour Party

“Let it be on record that if NNPP were not winning elections for the period under review it would have been deregistered like the one he facilitated which was called Alliance National Party. As a matter of fact, the current headquarters of NNPP in Abuja is the same office used by the defunct Alliance National  Party whose chairman was one Moshood.

“We also know that the current executive Gov of Kano Alhaji Abbah Kabir who was shortchanged in the previous elections took advantage of us as children of God to be protected and today those evil men could not stop him from becoming the Gov of Kano State.

“Therefore senator RABIU MUSA Kwankwaso should be taught the principles of humility and gratefulness to people who have been nice to him.

“In all of these, he may wish to distance himself from elder Buba Galadima if he wants to make headway in politics. The former President, Gen. Buhari did realise and distanced himself to combine with Asiwaju B. A. Tinubu, the grand master to become the President of Nigeria.,” advised.

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NAMTOP: LASTMA Urges Maritime Truck Drivers To Tackle Breakdowns

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More Trouble for Sanwo-Olu: Election Tribunal orders substituted service over Petition

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has urged the Nexus Association of Maritime Truck Operators (NAMTOP) to acquire private tow trucks to tackle breakdowns swiftly.

The General Manager, LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said this when NAMTOP officials paid the agency’s management a courtesy visit on Tuesday in Lagos.

Bakare-Oki said the aim was to foster synergy and cooperation between the two agencies.

The LASTMA GM, represented by the Director of Logistics and Engineering, Mr Jubril Oshodi, assured the association of a harmonious relationship.

“This will enable the association to liaise with all zonal heads to ensure swift evacuation of trucks whenever breakdowns occur,” he said.

The LASTMA boss said his tenure would centre on repositioning and reorganising the agency for professional service delivery to the motoring public with empathy.

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Reps. Summon Minister, Perm.Sec. Over $300m Antimalarial Funds

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Following perceived hanky panky, the House of Representatives Committee on Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis has summoned the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof.Mohammed Pate, over alleged misappropriation of 300 million dollars anti-malaria funds.

“The Committee has resolved that the Permanent Secretary be arrested if she failed to honour the summons, having failed to appear three times”, Rep. Amobi Ogah, the Chairman of the Committee who read the resolutions in Abuja on Tuesday, stressed.

Ogah expressed displeasure over the absence of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry at the resumed sitting of the committee on Tuesday.

“Malaria is now an epidemic in Nigeria. The government has always wanted to help the people but most times the civil servants are our problem.

“This money has been made available since 2021. We have been inviting the Permanent Secretary. This is the third time we are inviting her to come and explain to us what has happened.

“Have they used the money? If they have not used the money, where is the money? It is a matter of simple explanation. But they have been running away, calling all manner of people to talk to us,” he said

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