Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi yesterday said that certain freight forwarders will be banned from operating in the ports for going against the Act establishing the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding of Nigeria,

Speaking at the opening of the a two day ‘Sensitization Workshop on Freight Forwarding as a Career’ Amaechi said that said that he will direct the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, not to allow this group of recalcitrant freight forwarders function in the ports except they obey and operate within the law establishing the Council.

He disclosed that these people have been in court from the day the Council was established adding that even had the guts to write to the National Assembly to amend the law or else they will not obey the law.

“No Nigerian, not even the President is above the law.” He stated

Explaining further, Amaechi said that the sensitization workshop is the first process of implementing the law of the Council.

He said: “We have gotten the Council to provide the necessary requirement that they need and we will get the Nigerian Ports Authority and other agencies under us, not to allow these people to function in the ports.

So those gentlemen who have refused to function within the will be compelled by this law to function within the law unless the Court rules otherwise. We cannot have a lawless society if not you have anarchy”

He also pledged the support of the Senate and House of Representatives, whose Committees’ chairmen were also present at the workshop.

He also said that the law of the Council was key to the port industry and the economy of the country.

Similarly, a member of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Garba Dapchi also assured the Council of its support adding that freight forwarders must be professionally qualified to practice the trade.

“We are ready to partner with you to review and amend the law to ensure that you meet global standard.”He stated