By Joshua Yousouph
The Governing Council of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has promised to focus on bringing a new dimension to professional development through training and retraining of our registered freight forwarders.
Recall that a month ago, the former Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi inaugurated the newly-elected fourth governing council after a long wait. The governing council however had its first meeting on Thursday to deliberate on issues concerning freight forwarding in Nigeria.
While briefing journalists after its meeting in Lagos on Thursday, the Chairman of the Council, Alhaji Abubakar Tsanni noted that the major focus of the Council is to ensure professional development through the training and retraining of registered freight forwarders to meet global standard in freight forwarding through its accredited universities nationwide.
Tsanni informed that the management of the Council had already commenced free training for freight forwarders across the country, adding that the Council intends to ensure effective synergy between the freight forwarders, stakeholders within the maritime industry and CRFFN as a body.
The Governing Council Chairman also disclosed that there has been an impressive turn out in the payment of Practitioner Operating Fees (POF) by freight forwarders, adding that the management of the Council is working towards ensuring the funds are adequately used for the development of all registered freight forwarders in Nigeria.
He however noted that the Council is doing its best in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation to liaise with all terminals operators to ensure compliance to the payment of the POF.
Tsanni also disclosed that the Governing Council has set up about 17 committees to monitor and enforce the objectives and goals of the newly-inaugurated fourth Council. According to him, the Committees include: Disciplinary Tribunal, Investigation panel, Monetary and Enforcement Committee amongst others.
In his words: “This is our first meeting immediately after the inauguration. We discussed a lot of issues out of which we formed committees that will go into action immediately for the development of the freight forwarding business in Nigeria. There are about 17 committees that have just been set up. They include the Disciplinary Tribunal, Investigation panel, Monetary and Enforcement and many more. By God’s grace, you will see a lot of development.
“We have seen a lot of changes in the freight forwarding industry considering the support we are getting in terms of the POF. The freight forwarders are doing very well as regards the payment of the POF. The report I just received from the management is that they are complying. The Council is doing its best in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation which is our mother Ministry. We’re doing our best to liaise with all the terminals and by God’s grace all will comply very soon and freight forwarders will see the benefit of that.
“I believe the management has started doing something about the disbursement of the POF. It is not an issue of sharing, but an issue of declarants The training of freight forwarders is part of the benefits of the POF. It is not like sharing money to the freight forwarders. It is concerned with the benefits going back to the freight forwarders” Tsanni said.
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On his part, the Registrar of the Council, Barrister Sam Nwakohu also affirmed that there has been an appreciable progress in the payment of POF. He however informed that some of the seemingly difficult and adamant terminal operators who have refused to comply with the Ministry’s directives on the payment of POF have started making positive steps to comply.
Nwakowu noted that the Council is already implementing structural adjustments and lots of capacity building among freight forwarders. He however charged the public to watch out for very vibrant Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria.
“We are making appreciable progress in the issue of POF, 29th of April has come and gone. But today, I announced to the Council that I have been receiving phone calls from terminal operators asking us to come and refresh them on what to do and our teams have gone to so many places. This morning I got a call from one of the most difficult terminal operators as at the 29th of April, saying they are ready. By next week, my team will be there.
“Although we are not at par with global best practice, but if every effort is being made to make sure that we bring ourselves at par, with time things will change. We should be expecting a very vibrant Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, as there will be a lot of capacity building among freight forwarders, and structural adjustments which the freight forwarding society or community will appreciate CRFFN better in professionalism than they have ever appreciated” Nwakowu noted.
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