Following the Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde alleged uncomplimentary statement about the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria [CRFFN], some freight forwarders have reacted angrily and requested that the Customs boss recant the statement in which he allegedly impugn on the status of the CRFFN.
Following the Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde alleged uncomplimentary statement about the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria [CRFFN], some freight forwarders have reacted angrily and requested that the Customs boss recant the statement in which he allegedly impugn on the status of the CRFFN.
A cross section of the freight forwarders who spoke to our correspondent in Lagos last week, expressed disbelief about what reportedly transpired between him and the Minister of Transport; Senator Idris Umar at a recent meeting to find away out of the present crisis rocking the CRFFN.
National President, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders [NAGAFF] Mr. Eugene Nweke in achat with Shipping Position Daily explained that it was an overstatement on the part of Dikko.
According to him, the whole issue boils down to the collection of the transaction fees by the CRFFN.
In his own reaction, another registered freight forwarder under CRFFN, Mr. David Pius frowned at the statement, saying that CRFFN is established by an Act of Parliament, adding that all the heads of government agencies are all aware of the Council’s existence.
‘’Somebody that occupies that position in Customs ,coming up to declare that he does not recognize the CRFFN simply because of his interest which is the CEMA bill which is before the Senate that customs should be given partial autonomy’’.
According to him, Customs interest should not run the entire maritime industry. He alleged that the Customs CG is interested in the controversial transaction fee which ought to be collected by CRFFN.
The former Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders, Importers, Exporters Coalition, Publicity Secretary further added that, “such message made the Comptroller General of customs sends a wrong signal to the maritime industry and Nigeria as a whole’’.
He added that if CEMA bill is amended and final sails through as a law, it will create lot of problems in port operations and that many of the freight forwarders will lose their jobs as licensed customs brokers.
‘’The Federal Government of Nigeria came up with the idea to create an umbrella body that will have the capacity to contain all the freight forwarders in the country which is legitimate, legal, constitutional and lawful, then somebody who operates in the maritime says he does not know anything about CRFFN’’.
‘’The customs boss does not know the terrain he is handling because if that CEMA bill is passed into law, I don’t think he said he does not recognize CRFFN ’’, he said
Apart from those who were willing to be quoted, most freight forwarders who spoke to our correspondent expressed surprise at the disposition of the Customs towards the CRFFN.
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