Wale Adeniyi, CGC, Says proliferation of Associations in Freight Forwarding, Maritime Media Not Good For Practitioners
Comptroller- General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi yesterday at an award dinner organized by all maritime journalists decried the proliferation of associations in the freight forwarding industry and maritime media. The development he noted gives confusing signals to policy makers and other stakeholders. According to the Comptroller- General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, the inability of the freight forwarders to speak with one voice makes it difficult for policy makers to consult them on vital policies affecting their profession. The Comptroller- General, Nigeria Customs, while pleading with the freight forwarders to come together under one umbrella for them to present unified position to government on matters affecting their industry, charged both Prince Shittu Olayiwola, the former National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA) and Alhaji Akeem Olanrewaju, the Chairman of the Customs Consultative Council( CCC) to spearhead the unification drive of the freight forwarding associations considering their vantage positions in the freight forwarding business in Nigeria.
As at press time, there are more than five freight forwarding groups which are recognized by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), the government regulatory agency in the freight forwarding industry,which include ANLCA, NAGAFF, Council of Managing Directors and AREFF. Also among the maritime beat associations, there are equally six groups, namely, MARAN, League of Maritime Editors, MAJAN, SCAN, AMJON and CONMMEP.
Similarly, the Customs boss equally urged the maritime journalists to collapse their multiple beat associations into one indivisible maritime association. Such unification, he noted would enable maritime journalists to access welfare opportunities from stakeholders.He further stated that the proliferation of maritime beat associations
have been impeding efforts to access opportunities by maritime journalists in the maritime and its allied industries.
While urging maritime journalists to explore opportunities in providing life insurance package for practitioners in addition to a housing mortgage that will enable maritime journalists have decent accommodations for themselves, the CGC promised to lead the crusade for better welfares for maritime journalists along other heads of government agencies, on the ground that all the maritime journalists should come together as one body.
According to the CGC, the unification task is possible considering the way and manner maritime journalists have come together to honour him.
Furthermore, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi called on heads of other maritime parastatals to prioritize the welfare of journalists covering the sector, adding that as the sector is prospering and stakeholders s are advancing, efforts should be made to better the lives of journalists covering the maritime sector.
It would be recalled that Six maritime beat associations of maritime journalists unanimously agreed to honour Adeniyi, the Customs Comptroller General, for his impactful leadership and contributions to national growth. This is the first time that all maritime journalists will unite to give such an award to a single stakeholder.
This may be why the Customs comptroller general, Mr Adeniyi described the iconic award as very symbolic. In his words “this is the very first time in the history of the maritime industry that this is happening”.