CRFFN set to begin collection of POF

ABIOLA Seun

There are fresh indications that the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) would commence collection of the Practitioners Operating Fee (POF) at the port.

Speaking over the weekend, the Chairman, Governing Council of CRFFN, Alhaji Abubakar Tsanni expressed readiness to strengthen and increase revenue to the federal government at the nation’s seaports.

He however promised to pursue increase revenue in line with existing laws of the council.

He said, “We are aware of the need to strengthen and increase government revenues, the Council would carefully peruse through existing domestic laws to ensure a better deal to both the government and major players in the industry with a view to move to the next level of globally recognized competitive governance. The Council would do this with every sense of responsibility, transparency and justice.”

The Chairman of the board also called on all the registered freight forwarding associations in the country to close ranks so as not to allow primordial sentiments rock the industry.

He however assured that the Council would create a harmonious working relationship amongst operators in the industry as well as create the needed synergy between it (CRFFN) and operators including all agencies of government for effective service delivery.

He therefore called on all the operators to leverage on the sincere goodwill of the Council to exhaust internal dispute resolution mechanism of the Council towards resolving any trade or administrative disputes among the practitioners, agencies of government and the Council in order to avoid unnecessary litigations.

In his words,” I assure all that every interest shall be protected under due process and the law. Members of staff are rest assured of the Council’s commitment to their wellbeing and be certain that every entitlement owed them would be paid. In view of this, we demand loyalty and commitment at your duty posts.

“As you know well, change is always difficult to adopt but once you begin to change the way you think, you will begin to inspire innovation that will help you to manifest greatness in your life. Truly, we can do all these if we all desire to create a new Nigeria. We are more than the estimation of ourselves in the eyes of the world.”

He noted that efforts shall be sustained to further create efficiency and coordinate the activities of practitioners in a way that would clean up the operations and its members so as to enable it serve the public better in an efficient and transparent manner in accordance with international best practices.

“Further to this, Council shall ensure that each practitioner is legally eligible to carry out business in and around the ports without incurring demurrage or any form of loss. This we shall ensure to give both parties the opportunity to leverage on the prospects and successes of ‘together we can attitude’ so as to achieve maximum benefits for the general betterment of society.

“Aware of all this, Council shall leverage on the federal government Ease of Doing Business –EDB to bring about new innovations in the conduct of doing business that is obtainable world over. The aim is to promote, protect and preserve the transparent nature of this government at fighting corruption and related financial crimes, real or imagined,” he stated.

He also disclosed the determination of the council to sanitize the freight forwarding industry, especially in the area of amending the council’s Act and eliminating foreigners in the cargo clearing processes at the country’s ports and other trade locations.

Tsanni said he was determined to do his best in ensuring that the freight forwarding industry is strengthened to be able to create millions of jobs for Nigerians.

He said: “We are here to do our best for the industry; to find ways to sanitize the freight forwarding industry improve the capacity of freight forwarders and strengthen the council’s laws to be able to solve the problems and challenges. We believe that by doing this, we will become more effective in our trade and then be able to reduce cargo dwell time in our ports.

“We have met many of the freight forwarding and licensed customs clearing agents associations and we are still visiting other stakeholders to identify with them and ensure that every stakeholder is on the same page to achieve our collective goals.”