- Dr. Ibrahim Tanko
By Anthony Nwachukwu
National Coordinator of the 100 per cent Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Ibrahim Tanko, has insisted that the team remains operationally effective, the reconstitution of the association’s Trade Facilitation Committee notwithstanding.
In a statement refuting the editorial content of an online media platform, Tanko said that though it has faced scrutiny and obstacles, the team, which is saddled with enforcing trade regulations, remains intact and steadfast in its mission, and is by no means diminished by the compliance team’s operations.
According to him, the trade facilitation committee existed before the compliance team but “was merely reconstituted following the abysmal failure of the previous one. Our duties and functions were clearly spelt out by the NAGAFF high command.
“Despite misgivings and calls for disbandment, the compliance team remains resolute. Their mandate, clearly outlined by NAGAFF’s high command, drives their actions.
“We had to lie low to see if the challenges confronting us in the industry could be challenged and tackled any other way. But alas! no action, and everyone is now asking, what became of the compliance team.
“The team is intact and about to stage a big comeback. Right now, we are preparing grounds for a suit against NAFDAC for collecting samples and never returning them to the owners, after ostensibly carrying out tests on the items.”
Assuring that members of the team would reconvene next week to reaffirm their dedication to sustainable freight forwarding, Tanko declared that the team remains vigilant, fighting for efficient trade practices and security.
“I see obstacles as ‘blood tonic’, an elixir that propels me into actions that seam insurmountable,” he said. “By next week, the full complement of the compliance team will be meeting in a show of resilience and commitment to the ideals of the team.
“We are not in competition with anyone else but resolute in fighting off impediments to sustainable freight forwarding.”
The editorial had stated that NAGAFF was making a monumental mistake “to whittle away the relevance of its 100 per cent compliance team,” warning that disbanding or dissolving it after it had performed creditably overtime would be counter-productive and also seriously damage to the association’s credibility and integrity.
