The Association of Concerned Freight Forwarders and Transporters (ACFFT) has outrightly condemned the attitude of the Acting Controller General of Customs of Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) ACG Adewale Adeniyi (MFR) for snubbing them during his recent visit to PTML in Apapa, Lagos and has given Federal government Seven days ultimatum to address port Charllenges or face withdrawal of service.

Speaking at a roundtable discussion shortly after a usual monthly meeting of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria which took place in Apapa, Lagos, the National Chairman of ACFFT, Fwdr. Andy Omenogor his association which is duly registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has over 700 membership spread across the seaports, Airports and land borders, including all operational areas of Inland Container Dry Ports (ICDs).

According to the group Chairman, who was represented by Fwdr. Ndubuisi Uzoegbo while reading out their outcome of communique in a meeting head on the 5th October 2023, “to ensure that customs adheres to the use of the exchange rates during opening of Form “M”, review and harmonize the indiscriminate issuance of alerts on cargo by various unit of Customs, FG should exercise caution in policy implication, NCS Act, 2023, is it currently being implemented and why is it being shielded from Frieght Forwarders?”

Still, “our primary mission is to champion the protection of Frieght Forwarders through well coordinate public policy advocacy dialogue along side collaborators with other logistics chain stakeholders”.

Expressing their. grievances the group alleged that all efforts made by them during the last Visit by the Acting Controller General of Customs of Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) ACG Adewale Adeniyi (MFR) didn’t tell any good result.

Their intentions was to dialogue with the ACG on the series of extortion and high-handedness of government officials, reckless blocking of legitimate transactions, imposing high duties by officers proved abortive. Rather the ACG snubbed them without hearing their side of the story”.

Adding that, since the relevant government officials don’t want to dialogue with us, we are left with no option than to short the port after seven working days with effect from this day.