Business
Association Bemoans Malpractices By Freight Forwarders
Maritime activities closed
on Thursday with the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) lamenting over declining port revenue caused by unethical practices by some inexperienced freight forwarders.
The President of NAGAFF, Dr. Eugene Nweke made the remark in an interview with The Tide source in Lagos.
“You will be surprised if you know the level of revenue lost by government as a result of some freight forwarders’ malpractices.
“When somebody is not informed, that person will lack what we call ethics and when there is no ethics, there is no professional conduct,” Nweke said.
He said that an uninformed practitioner would not be able to add value to the supply chain.
The NAGAFF president urged inexperienced freight forwarders to enrol for professional courses organised by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to boost their knowledge of the profession.
“There are ongoing sensitisation and enlightment of all freight forwarding practitioners by the CRFFN,’’ Nweke said.
During the week, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko called for synergy among regional customs organisations in the West and Central Africa, adding that the “reality of our time’’ had made such collaboration mandatory.
Dikko made the call at the opening ceremony of a three-day sub-regional meeting of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) on Wednesday in Abuja.
“With the dynamics of international trade and complex nature of border security, we must see ourselves as partners with other government agencies within and outside our borders.
“The reality of our time imposes on us the obligation of collaboration among all partner agencies of government; using Information Technology (IT) and various World Customs Organisation (WCO) tools as support,’’ the comptroller-general said.
Dikko spoke on the theme, “Coordinated Border Management, An Inclusive Approach To Connecting Stakeholders’’.
He said the Abuja meeting, which saw Nigeria, Benin, Chad, Cameroon and Niger brainstorming on a collaborative approach of combating cross-border terrorism within the region, had began to yield positive results.
The comptroller-general said this was in addition to assisting in streamlining transit trade between Nigeria and the neighbouring states of Benin and Niger.
He, however, stressed the need for capacity building, through training and retraining of officers, as well as the continuous employment of talented youths.
The WCO Secretary General, Mr Kunio Mikuriya praised the leadership role Nigeria had been playing in the sub region.
Mikuriya said that from 2011 when he first visited Abuja, till date, he had continued to marvel with the Nigerian spirit.
Also in the week under review, Mrs Jean Chiazor-Anishere, President of Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) said that maritime disputes should not only be resolved by litigations.
Chiazor-Anishere told NAN that there should be room for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
“By emphasising more on the fact of other means of dispute resolution like ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution), that it should not be through litigation method alone that maritime disputes can be resolved.
“As we have observed, it takes a longer time if we have to take it through litigation,’’ Chiazor-Anishere
In the week under review, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said 17 states had keyed into its National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP).
Mrs Irene Macfoy, Deputy Director, National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) told our reporter that NIMASA would continue to sensitise the remaining states who had yet to key into the programme.
Mcfoy said that over 2,500 Nigerians youths were being trained in various countries through the NSDP.
“ Right now, NIMASA is training well over 2,500 students in various institutions in various countries.
“We have some students in India, we have some students in United Kingdom, we have in Romania, we have in Philippines and we also have in Egypt,” the deputy director said.
Macfoy said that the outcome of the training was to produce a large number of seafarers for the nation as well as to generate revenue for government from tax payment.
“We have conducted sensitisation in some of these states that have not keyed in. Some of them have responded, while some are yet to respond,’’ she said.
On the other hand, Mr Olu Akinsoji, a former Director-General, Government Inspector of Shipping (GIS), has urged Ship owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) to work jointly and effectively partake in international shipping.
Akinsoji, told NAN that it would be difficult for a nation to compete in international shipping, if the ship owners were not organised.
“From my experience, I believe that a nation cannot compete favourably in international shipping if the private sector is not organised.
“This is the beginning of many more things to come
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter