A former President, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Eugene Nweke, has enjoined freight forwarders to be optimistic of a robust industry that will bring an end to stagnation in the shipping industry soon.
Nweke said he believes that “in the coming months, the freight forwarding profession is set to overcome every professional limitation and stagnation that has been its professional undoing”.
In an Easter message to freight forwarders, Nweke explained that his firm belief of a robust future for practitioners in the industry was based on the “ongoing concerted efforts at ushering peace amongst captains of the sectors and the resolve of the various leadership to work together for the common good of the profession and professionals”.
Part of his message reads: “I had and will continue to likened the Freight forwarding sector to a factory building, because in a factory building, there are wheels and gearing; there are cranks and pulleys, beltings tight or slack – some are whirling swiftly, some are turning slowly; Some are thrusting forward, some are pulling back; Some are smooth and silent, some are rough and noisy; pounding, rattling, clanking, moving with a jerk.
“However, the only difference there are is that, though different activities revolves in the respective scopes of the Freight Forwarding profession, each has its peculiar standards operational practices driven by professional expertise and all revolves and thrives on a value adding and supply chain. Whereby, any noticeable weaklink within the supply chain leads to thrusting forward and pulling back, rough and noisy, pounding, rattling, clanking, etc,
“It becomes more worrisome, where professional regulation suffers prompt financial administrative empowerment, then wild confusion or a seeming chaos, high handedness and professional abuses takes a center stage. Surprising that in spite of the noticeable differences amongst practitioners and herculean professional challenges, the Freight Forwarders still thrive and strives, doing their work and moving the Nation at all costs.
“Let me on this note, plead with the bigger industry actors or stakeholders to appreciate the enormous tasks undertaken by the Forwarders (whether as a mighty mover or tiniest pinion) for the betterment of the Nation, hence, the needed encouragement in the propagation of the lofty roles of the freight forwarders in the port value adding and international trade and security supply chain .
“To all the Freight Forwarders in Nigeria, note that all things are gradually moving together for the purpose of attaining professional greatness as practitioners resolved to embrace total professionalism and pose to work in unison. In this wise, accredited associations leadership shall lead from the front and yet working coherently with the regulator, joining forces to direct evenly and hand joined to guide the professionals in all scope.
Finally, though the past years might been hurtful, with notable professional hindrances and set backs, but I can say, in the spirit of the essence of Easter celebration, that lines are beginning to fall in professional spaces, as industry peace and harmony shall prompt professional well-being”.
