CRFFN Shall Have Necessary Political Impetus to Work- Amaechi

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi yesterday in Abuja, vowed to give the newly inaugurated Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), the needed political impetus to implement the provisions of the Act to the letter.

The minister, who expressed displeasure at the unrestricted access into the port which he said created an image problem for the nation’s ports, warned that any freight forwarder not registered with the CRFFN will be barred from operating at the ports.

He disclosed that he would be discussing with the management of the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Ports Authority in a matter of days to ensure that this directive is carried out to the letters.

He lampooned the unruly behaviour of freight forwarders at the ports, especially the inter and intra-politics of the various freight forwarding associations which he condemned in the strongest terms, saying this has created unstable and chaotic operating atmosphere at the ports.

“I have directed the NPA not to allow any freight forwarder not registered with the Council enter the port. Also, I am going to meet with the CGC not to allow any freight forwarder not registered with the Council to clear goods at the port.

“That is why the Americans are angry with us that our ports, which are supposed to be restricted areas, are not safe, that anybody, including Boko Haram, can gain access into vessels anchored at Nigeria’s waters”.

He charged the newly inaugurated council members to hit the ground running after their inauguration to sanitize the ports.

Amaechi however warned that he would not recognise any freight forwarders association because they are not known to the Act which established the council.

He also said that government would no longer tolerate their act of impunity as regards collection of illegal charges, fees and levies at the ports.

He threatened to unleash the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on any association or individuals found to be engaging in such an illegal act.

“It is Federal Government ports and any money collected belongs to government.

“So unless you are appointed by the government to collect revenue on its behalf, if I discover that any association or individual collects government money, I will approach the Federal Executive Council with a memo directing the EFCC to recover any such illegal collection” the minister declared.

Meanwhile, the newly sworn in Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Tsanni Abubakar has promised to engender a smooth working relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and the registered Freight Forwarders under the Council.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday shortly after being sworn in, Tsanni assured that the CRFFN under his watch would be highly professionalised and go through regular training of practitioners.

He promised to tackle the influx of foreigners in Freight Forwarding practice in Nigeria, even as he has assured that the Council under his watch would work with the Nigeria Customs Service to resolve the challenges surrounding issuance of licenses to practitioners.