Anti-corruption crusade: EFCC, ICPC ready to work with us – NAGAFF Compliance team boss

…appoints Stanley Ejiogu as Head of Operations.

The newly reconstituted 100 Percent Compliance Team of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has appointed the former Vice Chairman, Tincan Island Chapter of NAGAFF, Fwdr. Stanley Ejiogu as the Head of Operations of the Team.

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The appointment is to help achieve smooth operations of the group.

In a statement by the Compliance Team, the National Coordinator of the Compliance Team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko made the appointment in order to commence execution of the group’s planned actions, adding that more appointments would be made soon.

Alhaji Tanko who announced the appointment during the inaugural meeting of the newly reconstituted Team at its secretariat in Eleganza Complex, Wharf -Apapa , Lagos, said the appointment had become necessary for smooth operations of the team.

He stated that they (Compliance Team members) are now ready to work and however solicited for the cooperation and understanding of chapter chairmen of NAGAFF in the discharge of their duties in the interest of the freight forwarders, NAGAFF and other stakeholders in the industry, stressing, “We are not here to witch-hunt anybody. Let them not see us as enemies. We are partners in progress and from one big family, NAGAFF.”

Tanko who said it would not be business as usual again said, his team would have rapports with the security agencies in the in the Industry such as the Police, EFCC, including the ICPC in order to ensure total compliance to trade rules , assuring that undue delay of cargos at the ports, demurrages, multiple alerts, over charges would be a thing of the past .

His words, “We will work with security agencies such as EFCC, ICPC and we have had meetings with them, we have understanding with them and they are ready to work with us . In fact, we will even go for training with them on how to get facts and figures. So we are ready to work now and anybody who thinks he is a god , we are going to tell him, he is not god.”

“You know for some time we went for a break, you hear of so many complaints everywhere. People saying Tanko, Tanko, Tanko, I decided to cool down, let me be a little calm. Friends and loved ones talked to me, I had to keep quiet but I noticed that keeping quiet is not going to solve any problem.

“A lot of things are going wrong. Everybody doing what they like. Talk of Customs, talk of shipping companies, Terminal Operators, Bonded Terminals, even Nigerian Shippers’ Council is even the worst. People that suppose to help us are not helping us.

“I think there is a need for me to come back to let people know that everybody must do his duty. Just for example, if the President assigns responsibility to Minister, directors and others, then, do you expect him to come down and do the work? And if they fail, you should blame them and not the President.”

“We have NPA, we have Shippers’ Council, We have Minister of Transportation, we have CG of Customs, we have Comptrollers in various places, let’s lay our complain to them. We need to ask them questions of what they are doing. Look at, Bonded Terminals have increase their transfer charges without consulting anybody. Shippers’Council management is there watching them without saying a word. So, there are a lot of issues.

“Look at even in Apapa, we have a new Area Controller, it is not time for us to hit him with multiple problems. We are going to allow him to look at the areas as see how he can help us. He has seen the outstanding issues , so, he can be able to help us achieve that purpose. We don’t want to border him now.

“But other people, this time around, they will hear me very soon. They will hear Ibrahim Tanko very soon.” We have a lot of greed and we have changed our pattern . It will not be as usual. If we notice you are doing the wrong thing, we will report you to the appropriate quarters. We have them, EFCC is there, ICPC is there. They will invite you and you go there and write statement.

The 100% Compliance Team Boss who however urged his team members to be committed to duty and ensure honesty, transparency in carrying out their task in order to fulfill their mandate, remarked that the group still retained its former name, 100% Compliance Team as against 100% Compliance Task Team as seen in some online media.

Speaking also, the Chairman of Compliance Team ,Western Avenue, Dr. Fred Ajuzie emphasised the need for seriousness, commitment and dedication by the members to the actualisation of their set targets.

Dr Ajuzie urged them to emulate the exemplary footsteps of the National Coordinator of the team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko by going extra miles in their assignments to achieve results.

He opined,” As we are here, concept of old is gone. We are now in a new concept and because of that you must show seriousness in your job, The old Concept is gone, work assiduously and be diligent in your duties .

In his acceptance speech, the newly appointed Head of Operations of 100% Compliance Team, Fwdr. Stanley Ejiogu described his new position as a herculean task but pledged to live up to expectation.

In his words: “I was fully working for NAGAFF. I presumed that was why the national coordinator of 100% Compliance Team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko and his management team thought it wise to appoint me because they have seen my commitment in NAGAFF and all the input I have made not minding that I lost in the last chapter election of NAGAFF. Indeed, am very happy.

I will not disappoint the national coordinator, Alhaji Tanko.”