Even though the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) was established to build capacity for freight forwarders, training institutions in the freight forwarding sub-sector of the industry have lamented that the Council has lost focus on training.
According to the stakeholders, rather than focus energy on training and forming synergy with the various institutions, the CRFFN has been engrossed with the collection of Practitioners Operating Fees (POF)
Even though the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) was established to build capacity for freight forwarders, training institutions in the freight forwarding sub-sector of the industry have lamented that the Council has lost focus on training.
According to the stakeholders, rather than focus energy on training and forming synergy with the various institutions, the CRFFN has been engrossed with the collection of Practitioners Operating Fees (POF)
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily, Registrar of the Freight Forwarders Academy of Nigeria (FFAN); Mr Joseph Anabaraonye observed that training institutions have lost relevance in the scheme of things in the Council.
"The institutions in the maritime sector have been pushed to the wall and there is nobody to cry out, we have decided to keep quiet too and watch those that have the voice"
"The institutions have lost relevance in the scheme of things, especially as the training of freight forwarders is concerned with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN)" he said.
The FFAN Registrar said that training institutions in the? maritime sector should not be caught in the web of controversies surrounding the CRFFN and the collection of the POF.
"As it were, it doesn't matter the relationship, what matters to some people is that they believe they have all the muscle and all the powers, so the situation now is like the survival of the fittest and those that have more power or strength will survive, but an institution is a different environment, it does not need that kind of muscle to fight." he said.
?Anabaraonye lamented that the major challenge of private academies is finance, he stressed that the institutions should be strengthened by the government.
?Also speaking with our correspondent on a similar issue, a former Registrar of the Institute of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (IFFN);Mr. Demola Irinyemi called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to assist the various maritime academies that are springing up.
Irinyemi who is also a lecturer at the Redeemers University called for a synergy between government and the private academies. He said that NIMASA can also encourage the private players who are using their resources to establish maritime academies.
He charged NIMASA to be committed to standards and at the same time encourage the workforce and facilitators in academies like MAN Oron and other upcoming private academies?.
"Let them put aside politics that is not advancing the course of the nation, people who are professionals should take the front seats"
"NIMASA's position is to assist all these academies springing up by making sure that they meet international standard, bringing on synergy between these institutions and the government"
"NIMASA should encourage them, there is nothing wrong about it, but the bottom line is that before any institution is established they should go through a process of examination by NIMASA." Demola stated.
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