CRFFN to Begin Collection of Controversial POF Levy by December

By ZION Olalekan |

Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Sir Mike Jukwe has said that the Council would begin the collection of the controversial Practitioners Operation Fees (POF) by December 2018.

Jukwe stated this at a retreat held in Abuja last week for the newly inaugurated members of the CRFFN board.

While highlighting the task before the new CRFFN Governing Board, Jukwe said that as soon as the Council members published the CRFFN Gazette, collection of the controversial Practitioners Operation Fees (POF) would commence at various ports by December.

He said that several attempts to collect the money by publishing the gazette was not approved by the ministry of Justice because it contravenes the Act of the CRFFN that states that only the Chairman and Registrar can publish the gazette.

Jukwe said the money given to the Council by the government was expended on securing operational offices for the council all over the Council. Presently, he said the Council is not renting offices but that it owns all buildings where it is located.

“As you are coming into the board, you would not face any burden of paying rents, our offices are 100% completed, we are not renting offices all over Nigeria”.

Jukwe also charged the Council members to review the organogram of the Council. He said the first organogram that was prepared and approved by the governing Council was in 2011 and it needs a review.

He also told the members that “You need to work with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Custom Service to create an enabling business environment to ensure that cargoes are no longer diverted to neighbouring countries, the cargoes eventually find their way into this country.

“We have the problem of Nigeria customs service adhering strictly to section 19 (1&2) of the CRFFN Act. Though the Customs empowered under section 153, 154 to issue licenses to practitioners, the lawmakers gave council the power to register but then the instruments and enforcement of licenses lie with the Customs.

“If we register as we do and customs do not adhere to section 19 k1&2) we cannot control and regulate freight forwarders.

“This is on the front burner and as soon as you commerce your functions, use your powers to work harmoniously with the Customs.

“The last gazette has not been published; the power to publish lies with chairman and registrar. You should sign it so that by December we would begin to collect the POF”, he advised.

Meanwhile, the governing board members are to earn N50, 000 while the Chairman gets N75, 000 as seating allowances four times in a year.

This is according to Circular SWC/S/04/S.310/T/65 of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission of the presidency which came into force on April 1st 2016.

The circular restricted the maximum frequency of meetings for part time members of Government Committees, Boards of Federal Agencies, Statutory Corporations and Government owned companies to maximum of four times.

According to the circular, the category C where the CRFFN falls are, N75, 000 for the chairman and N50,000 for members.