All is set for the commencement of collection of ‘Practitioners’ Operating Fee ‘by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) today.
Prior to today, the Council had last week issued a public notice in which it declared that actual collection will start on Monday, May 11, 2015.
The fees are collectable on all cargoes entering into and exiting the country through land, air and sea.
All is set for the commencement of collection of ‘Practitioners’ Operating Fee ‘by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) today.
Prior to today, the Council had last week issued a public notice in which it declared that actual collection will start on Monday, May 11, 2015.
The fees are collectable on all cargoes entering into and exiting the country through land, air and sea.
The Federal Government gazette which authourised the fees, specified that: one kilogramme of airfreight cargo will attract a fee of N2.00. For sea freight cargo, a 20ft container will attract N1,000, 40ft will attract N2,000. Similarly, car and jeeps will pay N500, while 20ft trucks and 40ft truck will attract a fee of N1,000 and N2,000 respectively.
In the gazette, general cargo will attract a fee of N3.50 per ton, while dry bulk cargo will attract a fee of N1.00 per ton, even as it was stated that fees in respect of wet cargoes are negotiable.
The gazette also directed that out of the proceeds, “CRFFN collects 60% Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the Associations will collect 35% as provided by the CRFFN Act (Accreditation of Associations of Freight Forwarders) Regulation,2010. The Registered Freight Forwarder/Licensed Customs Agent (RFF/LCA) is entitled to 5% of the Practitioners’ Operating Fee which will be collected by the CRFFN and remitted to the concerned RFF/LCA”.
Confirming its readiness, the Council’s Registrar; Sir Mike Jukwe told Shipping Position Daily on Friday that, it has intensified education of freight forwarders on the modality for paying the fees.
He also confirmed that the Council’s team has also been visiting the various zones to interact with practitioners.
“Our visits have been very useful. We have learnt for instance that there should be other platform through which the fees could be paid, some have advised that they could want to pay with bank teller, we are open to all suggestions”, he said.
He also confirmed that, under the new dispensation, there is no window for evasion of payment, even as he warned that the penalty for default is great.
In the public notice it earlier issued, the CRFFN had explained that “the Practitioners’ Operating Fees is Not Cargo Levy, therefore will not add to the cost of doing business and delays in our Ports, since it is paid from the Practitioners’ service charge and the invoice is generated online by the Freight Forwarder”.
Today’s commencement comes about seven weeks after the collection was gazetted by the Federal Government and after series of advocacy meetings between the CRFFN and the five registered associations.
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