Stakeholders in the maritime industry have commended the Nigerian Institute of Freight Forwarders (NIFF) for organizing the recent continuous mandatory programme for freight forwarders as stipulated in the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Act.
Stakeholders in the maritime industry have commended the Nigerian Institute of Freight Forwarders (NIFF) for organizing the recent continuous mandatory programme for freight forwarders as stipulated in the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Act.
A cross section of industry players who were in attendance at the capacity development programme which held in Apapa; Lagos expressed satisfaction at the turn out of participants, even as they stressed that more of the younger freight agents need to be encouraged to participate in such trainings.
The NIFF is accredited by the CRFFN to handle the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) programme on its behalf.
The council also makes it mandatory for every professional to attend the MCPD.
In a chat with Shipping Position Daily at the sideline of the programme, founder of NAGAFF; Dr. Boniface Aniebonam commended the NIFF for putting the programme in place, even as he urged the CRFFN to encourage the ‘less privileged’ freight forwarder for them to have a feel of the training.
‘’The participation is alright and well attended, but I think we need something more than this, especially the raw materials who are the untapped agents, who are also yearning for knowledge and that is why I am emphatic that sponsorship should come from the freight forwarding associations, so that those less privileged agents that could not pay the amount would have the opportunity to be trained “, he stated.
He described his association as an elite group from the freight forwarding sub sector, pointing out that members of NAGAFF are always aggressive when it comes to seeking for knowledge for economic growth and sustainability.
President of Women In Shipping and Trading Association,(WISTA)Nigeria; Mrs. Jean Chiazor Anishere described the turn out as a brilliant move by the registered freight agents to seek for knowledge even as she added that there is the need to encourage the participants.
The maritime lawyer also called on all agents to engage legal services in their operation in order to protect their businesses from the hands of the customs, whenever the need arises.
She said freight forwarding is an international business that requires adequate knowledge adding that such training will create a conducive atmosphere for business to grow in the country.
‘’Today’s training was quite encouraging and I think it is in the right direction to move the sector forward’’, she noted.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of NIFF, Mr Valentino Buoro has lamented low compliance by some government agencies with the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Act 16 of 2007.
The CRFFN is charged with the responsibilities of regulating and controlling the practice of freight forwarding, and promoting the highest standard of competence, practice and conduct among members.
It is also charged with the responsibility of determining the standards of knowledge and skill to be attained by persons seeking to be registered as freight forwarders.
Buoro said that discussions on low compliance with the CRFFN law took centre stage at the mandatory training for freight forwarders.
He said that the lecture on “Understanding the CRFFN Act and Ethical Issues in Freight Forwarding’’, was delivered by some professionals to enlighten participants on the importance of the act.
Buoro said that Section 19 of the CRFFN Act required the relevant government agencies to comply with the requirements for registration of freight forwarders.
He explained that any government agency responsible for granting of permits, approvals and licences to freight forwarders, shall require the applicant to submit a certificate of registration issued by the CRFFN.
The NIFF boss said that being at the centre of operations in international trade, freight forwarders worked with agencies like the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Ports Authority and other agencies.
“Without a CRFFN certificate of registration, no person should be engaged for a job or given a customs licence, which is a fundamental document freight forwarders use.
“In other words, no freight forwarder should be engaged for any work unless he is registered by the council.
“The concern raised is, has the Customs for instance, been complying with requesting or desiring to see a CRFFN certificate before issuing or renewing an operator’s licence?’’ he asked.
Buoro said that professionalism in freight forwarding could only be achieved when the Customs, the NPA and other relevant government agencies began to insist on seeing the CRFFN certificate.
Discussion about this post