Chairman House Committee on Research & International Liason , Governing Board Council for the Regulation Of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Chief Increase Uche has re-emphasised the need for freight forwarding practice to be considered as integral part of the Continental Free Trade Agreement in Africa.
Chief Uche who stated this at the One-day conference on ‘Maximising Benefits of Intra African Trade Under AFCFTA Regime organised by the publisher of ‘The ‘Journal’, lsmail Aniemu in Lagos said this has become necessary in view of their critical role as in the movement of cargo from one point to another – from warehouse to markets or from point of production to the consumer which is the major role of freight forwarders.
“Again, looking at the possibility of freight forwarders having access to other countries and because freight forwarding is an international business that gives access us the access of interacting”, he said.
The Committee Chairman who is also the National President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) also called for the creation of a bigger body that would bring Freight Forwarders together for proper networking in Africa and for effective and timely movement of cargo from one point to another.
He further said that for Nigeria to succeed in maximising the benefits from African Continental Free Trade Agreement, industrial clusters must be created in Nigeria as this would attract more foreign investments into the country, as well enable local producers ensure that we have enough to export in order to compete favourably with their counterparts.
The Maritime guru also called for the creation of Deep Seaports which would be connected with all modes of transport including Inland transport, without which, movement of cargo from the port to hinterland would be very difficult.
Chief Uche went ahead to advocate for the provision of technology by terminals for timely delivery of cargos, while Nigeria Customs should simplify it’s processes and other barriers to trade facilitation such as high Tariff, poor infrastructures, should be removed and Maritime Laws reviewed.
He further called for the promotion of Ease of Doing Business and for the strategical positioning of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in the ports to check influx of substandard products, as well as the implementation of Single Window System.
