We’re supporting CRFFN over POF collection for success - NAGAFF

Chinazor Megbolu

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has said the organisation is supporting the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to achieve success over the collection of the Practitioners’ Operating Fee (POF) at the seaports, airports and land border stations across the country.

The group made this known on Monday during an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting convened by the NAGAFF Founder, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam held in Lagos.

The group hailed the eventual benefits that would emanate from the collection of the POF.

However, in a signed communiqué by the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Mr. Chidiebere Enelamah, the association stressed that NAGAFF as a reputable organisation will always support government to achieve its goals.

According to him; “no member of the association should directly or indirect constitute himself or herself into a stumbling block on the path of the process of collection of POF”.

“CRFFN should ensure equity, justice and fairness to all manner of stakeholders and in particular all freight forwarders and associations affiliated to the Council adding that the management of CRFFN should ensure that POF proceeds shall be deployed primarily to achieve the objective of determining the standard of knowledge and skills to be attained by persons seeking to be registered member of freight forwarding in Nigeria in accordance with the provisions of the Act and other related purposes”.

The Communique further hinted that for NAGAFF to take advantage of the benefits of POF, all National Executives and members of NAGAFF, as well as its members in the Governing Board of CRFFN, should map out strategies that will ensure the association gets its fair share of the proceeds from POF.

It also charges all chapters to ensure that every new registrant into NAGAFF completes all the registration processes for CRFFN forthwith.

“NAGAFF members all over the country must be united for them to achieve more for individually and collectively for the association”.

“That no NAGAFF member should make further comment on the issue on any platform to the contrary”.

“That CRFFN should ensure that distribution of resources and proceed of POF is done in accordance with resolution of the five (5) accredited associations in the last election i.e. NAGAFF-6, ANLCA-6, AREFFN-1, NCMDLCA-1 and NAFFAC-1″.

“That distribution of resource and proceed of POF shall be based on accredited associations other than licenses issued by the Nigeria Customs Service”.

“That NAGAFF reinforced its position that CRFFN is for freight forwarders of Nigeria as a regulatory agency of the government and not for licensed customs agents association as secondary freight forwarders”.

“And that the National Assembly is ever ready to make good laws for the good governance of our country’ the Communique stated.

It also pointed out that anybody or group wishing to approach the NASS for their own regulatory agency is at liberty to do so.

The communiqué, however, advised practitioners to understand that CRFFN as it stands is an agency of government with all powers of coercion to ensure that government carries on with its regulatory functions.

According to the Communique; “no court has voided the ruling of the court which pronounced CRFFN as an agency of government”. “Nobody or group should take laws into their own hands to avoid unpleasant consequences”.

“That NAGAFF and its members hereby reinforce their unwavering support for the proper management and administration of CRFFN for the good and betterment of freight forwarders of Nigeria”.

“That the Hon. Minister of Transport and Chairman of CRFFN in Council are hereby encouraged to invoke all legal powers to deal with trouble makers and saboteurs in the freight forwarding industry and profession”.

“That the establishment of the Tribunal is now or never to ensure peace in the society in general and the freight forwarding in particular.