There are indications that the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) along with three other registered freight forwarding associations may have resolved to allow the Court to decide on the issue of collection of the controversial Practitioners Operations Fee (POF).
It would be recalled that the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) had dragged the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to Court, challenging the collection; it secured a court injunction to stop the POF collection.
There are indications that the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) along with three other registered freight forwarding associations may have resolved to allow the Court to decide on the issue of collection of the controversial Practitioners Operations Fee (POF).
It would be recalled that the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) had dragged the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to Court, challenging the collection; it secured a court injunction to stop the POF collection.
But NAGAFF is demanding that members of the immediate past governing council of the CRFFN, including; ANLCA's Ernest Elochukwu, Peter Obi and NAGAFF President, Chief Eugene Nweke must all agree not to contest in the coming elections into the board of the CRFFN.
Speaking with Shipping PositionDaily on Monday, founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam stressed the need for the law to take its course on the matter of the POF and for all the associations and concerned parties to be law-abiding.
Aniebonam said that ANLCA has done the right thing by going to court, a situation which according to him is better than violence which he alleged ANLCA is prone to.
"We are still waiting, the change of administration has its own tone, and don't also forget that the ANLCA has gone to court, so the transport ministry and the CRFFN should be law abiding as much as they can"
"The matters are being treated, but if you look at the issue of the 7% port surcharge, I wonder why ANLCA have not gone to court over it, if they have not, then challenging the POF doesn't really make sense"
"I am aware that ANLCA and CRFFN met last Friday, we are yet to know what happened, but I know that ANLCA have shot themselves on the foot, you cannot sue the police, the CRFFN, all the associations, I believe they are trying to take a second look at their actions"
"People should be law abiding, whatever tactics ANLCA has brought about will surely come to an end, and by the time it comes to an end the consequences will be very high" he said.
He urged ANLCA members to support their President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu whom he said came to revive the association. The NAGAFF founder said that Shittu is doing very well and his members should listen to him.
He warned however that if care is not taken, ANLCA might be factionalised like the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents. He hinted that there are clandestine movements ongoing which may eventually result into a new ANLCA.
Aniebonam said that certain groups within ANLCA are not happy with the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC) on the collection of the POF.
"If you watch Shittu now he is keeping quiet and this is even more dangerous, it is obvious that he is not happy because all the documents were signed by him on ANLCA's behalf, so why the betrayal? Before ANLCA will know it they will be deregistered" Aniebonam cautioned.
Reacting to the recent directive by the Federal Government that all its parastatals to make use of a single treasury, Aniebonam argued that the CRFFN as a regulatory agency is partially autonomous, despite the court pronouncement that it was an agency of the government.
He noted that the chairman of the council is an elected member from the register of freight forwarders, whereas in other government agencies like the NPA, Shippers Council and others, it is Mr. President that appoints the head.
"So whatever revenue comes to the agencies will go to the consolidated account, but that of the CRFFN will go to a consolidated account"
Aniebonam said that it is apparent now that the old Council members are the people causing the problems of the POF within the CRFFN and the best option is for all of them to go and stay clear of the coming elections.
"You may wish to know that at the last meeting of the Igbo Maritime, certain discussions came up there, and the President of NAGAFF, Eugene Nweke who is a young Igbo man raised an issue and called for the best option which is for all the old Council members to leave and there was silence in the hall, we need to give the young people a chance" he advised.
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