By Chinyere Ejuka
A maritime expert, Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam has called on the private bonded terminal operators to collaborate with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and freight forwarding associations for better patronage. 
Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, who is the founder of one of the leading freight forwarding associations in Nigeria, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) made this call at the second Annual National Bonded Terminal/Logistics Conference (ANBTLC 2019) held recently by Richword Communications and Media Services at the Rockview Hotel Apapa.While reacting to issues of concerns raised by the Executive Secretary of the Association of Bonded Terminal Operators of Nigeria (ABTON) Aare (Ashiwaju) Haruna Omo Ajomo, the NAGAFF founder, noted that though seaport terminal operators starve the private bonded terminal operators of cargoes it does not mean they should sit down in their offices without sourcing for business.
“I will advise the bonded terminal operators to leave the comfort of their offices and go out and look for business as Seaport terminal operators would not ordinarily stem cargoes to them when they have not had enough for themselves”
Aniebonam however, noted that as private entrepreneur the government has given them the opportunity to operate by the licensing regulation of customs. All they need to do is to gather their acts together and collaborate with CRFFN which is the regulatory agency of all freight forwarding in Nigeria and the various freight forwarding associations in the industry since they can advise their importers on where the cargo should go since the importers has the right to say the final destination of their cargoes this is the only means the private bonded operators can continue being in business.
In his wards “So, if you are having any grudge against the concessionaires, you are wasting your time because they are private operators who are in business to make money; so sitting down in the comfort of your offices and blaming everybody will not help they have to work hard” he concluded.
