… charges freight forwarders to adapt to changing times
Pearl Ngwama
The Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has charged freight forwarders in the Country to adapt to changing times in business, saying that consolidation is a part of the logistic chain.
Aniebonam gave this charge while interacting with journalists in his office in Apapa over the lamentations of freight forwarders that they were losing their jobs to consolidators.
Freight Forwarders at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, had complained severally that consolidators were in the business of liaising with most importers on the clearing of their cargo in the Country, thereby kicking them (freight forwarders) out of job.
However, Aniebonam in a swift reaction stated that consolidation was part of Trade Logistic chain and therefore advised the freight forwarders to move with trends and developments by forming partnerships with one another to establish formidable businesses.
He pointed out that the challenge is that Nigerians are poor in partnership, hence, not joining forces together to work and strengthen their businesses.
His words: “What is wrong with that, what is wrong with consolidation? Consolidation is an aspect of Trade; consolidation is part of freight forwarding.
“Our people are poor in partnership; a number of people joining forces together to work and that has been the problem. This also points to education; when you see educated people now in freight forwarding business they are different in the way and manner they do things.
“They should come together and go to bank to loan money and make the business bigger. 95 per cent of forwarders we have in Nigeria are one-man forwarders and when they die the business goes. Most freight forwarders you see when they make wealth they go and build houses instead of expanding the scope of their business.”
Aniebonam used the opportunity to call for unity among the various freight forwarding associations in the Maritime Sector, especially NAGAFF and the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).
He noted that it was funny that most Nigerians wanted to see rancour among others, stating that NAGAFF is one big family.
The NAGAFF Founder explained that the oneness in NAGAFF was a mark of leadership which other associations lacked, adding that NAGAFF was carrying out a national revolution in Nigeria which informed the attack it faced.
He said: “Aniebonam is alive, nobody is thinking for these other associations but I’m thinking for NAGAFF. We’re a large happy family; we’re not like any other association because there’s leadership. What is happening in these other associations is lack of leadership.
“Why should I now as the Founder of NAGAFF be struggling for N10, 000 with members instead of giving them? The problem of most of these people you see is money. As far as we’re (NAGAFF) concerned we’re carrying out a national revolution so we’re bound to be attacked.
“Something is fundamentally wrong and that is leadership. They know that NAGAFF is all about revolution; change. We’re sacrificing for that.”
