African Freight Forwarders Federation advocates trade opportunities to build capacity in maritime industry
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| President AFFF, Chief Lexzy Nwangwu |
The African Federation of
Freight Forwarders (AFFF) has advocated for trading opportunities for Africans
to build their capacity in the sector.
Freight Forwarders (AFFF) has advocated for trading opportunities for Africans
to build their capacity in the sector.
The President of AFFF, Chief Lexzy Nwangwu, made
the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on
Wednesday in Lagos.
Nwangwu spoke on the sidelines of the African
Maritime Conference organised by the African Shipowners Association, with the
“African Cargo for African Shipowners’’, at Victoria Crown Plaza Hotel,
Victoria Island, Lagos.
Maritime Conference organised by the African Shipowners Association, with the
“African Cargo for African Shipowners’’, at Victoria Crown Plaza Hotel,
Victoria Island, Lagos.
He expressed regret that for so long, Africans
were deprived of the opportunity to partake in the trade involving major
freight forwarding jobs with the excuses that they lacked the capacity.
were deprived of the opportunity to partake in the trade involving major
freight forwarding jobs with the excuses that they lacked the capacity.
He, however, made said that the needed capacity
for any category of job could only be achieved through practical participatory
opportunities in the trade.
for any category of job could only be achieved through practical participatory
opportunities in the trade.
“It is painful to note that for long, major
freight forwarding services all over Africa have been handled by non-Africans.
The excuse is that we do not have the capacity. What is capacity?
freight forwarding services all over Africa have been handled by non-Africans.
The excuse is that we do not have the capacity. What is capacity?
“Nobody develops capacity when there are no
jobs to do. Capacity is acquired through practice and regular trade.
jobs to do. Capacity is acquired through practice and regular trade.
“It is pertinent to also note that the freight
forwarding industry has the capacity to employ thousands of youths but this is
wished out to non-Africans under the pretext of lack of capacity/expertise.
forwarding industry has the capacity to employ thousands of youths but this is
wished out to non-Africans under the pretext of lack of capacity/expertise.
“Our position as an association is that
individual member countries must endeavour to remove logistics from all project
contracts and award them to indigenous companies.
individual member countries must endeavour to remove logistics from all project
contracts and award them to indigenous companies.
“This will definitely give way to capacity
building,” he told NAN.
building,” he told NAN.
On the agenda by the African Union’s
AIM-Strategy 2050, which has provision for development of Africa’s maritime
industry, Nwangwu said AFFF would work with the African Shipowners Association.
AIM-Strategy 2050, which has provision for development of Africa’s maritime
industry, Nwangwu said AFFF would work with the African Shipowners Association.
He said that the commitment remained driven by
the spirit of achieving the intentions of the AIM-Strategy.
the spirit of achieving the intentions of the AIM-Strategy.
Nwangwu said the AFFF was in support of African
Cabotage which was the highlight of the conference because the provision was
about reserving certain aspects of maritime service for indigenous operators.
Cabotage which was the highlight of the conference because the provision was
about reserving certain aspects of maritime service for indigenous operators.
