The Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigerian (AREFFN) has added its voice to the growing number of maritime industry stakeholders who have openly declared support for the Nigeria Shippers Council in the implementation of the International Cargo Tracking Note in Nigeria.
The freight forwarding group has called on maritime industry stakeholders to support the Nigerian Shippers Council in its implementation of the ICTN and fight the cartel of multinational shipping lines and their association that is kicking against the CTN.
President of AREFFN, Dr. Frank Ukor in a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday equally urged the Minister of Transport, Chief Rotimi Amaechi to approach the National Assembly in order to repeal the Shippers Council Act in order to give it legal impetus.
He alleged that a cartel comprising of top hierarchy of customs, NPA, Shipping companies, freight forwarders and some politicians are aware of the under-declaration of cargo by multi-national shipping lines in the past, but that they collect bribes from multinationals in order to remain silent.
On who pays for the CTN, Dr Ukor explained that: “The shipper is not paying any additional money because the money he pays for freight includes this money, but the point is that the shipping lines have been pocketing this money all the while"
"But now that the government is aware, the shipping lines need to bring out this money and give it to the government to ensure the industry runs fine".
He said that CTN will check under-declaration of cargo and ensure that the actual revenue is collected.
"Through the CTN every cargo coming into Nigeria will be tracked, before this time, it might not be known to many people but a lot of these shipping companies under-declare the goods they bring in.
"If they are importing 25,000 metric tonnes of rice for example, they will come and declare it a10,000 metric tonnes, the Customs collects revenue for 10,000mt and 15,000 Mt is short-changed"
"If the multinationals don't pay this money, let government use its harmer to break their heads, Nigerians are suffering", he maintained.
Even as the AREFFN President noted that the shipping line agencies had earlier dragged the Shippers Council to court over collection of arbitrary charges, he advised that government should pass through the National Assembly to get a law to empower the Nigerian Shippers Council further.
He said that the Shippers Council is capable of implementing the CTN and that all it requires is the support of stakeholders and Nigerians to support the agency to ensure shipping lines do not continue to spread propaganda and rip Nigerians off.
The AREFFN president advised that, "Amaechi needs to work with shippers council and give it the teeth to bite, not only Shippers Council but also all parastatals under him, including the CRFFN"
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