CRFFN To Commence Payment Of Declarant Fee To Associations, Individuals,Companies

CRFFN To Commence Payment Of Declarant Fee To Associations, Individuals,Companies
…….enumerates challenges impeding payments
………assures payment of ‘gazetted’ fees as at when due
……….seeks collaboration with NAGAFF ,others

Acting Registrar CRFFN,Mrs Chinyere Uromta addressing NAGAFF and other stakeholders on Monday, February 5,2024 ,during her visit at the NAGAFF Headphones,in Apapa,Lagos

By Frank Odinukaeze

The Acting Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, Mrs. Chinyere Uromta has disclosed that the reason behind the backlog of declarant remittance fee to Associations , individuals and companies ,is partly due to wrong account numbers submitted and other challenges beyond their control.

Uromta who made this disclosure during a visit to the NAGAFF headquarters in Lagos on Monday noted that National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders ( NAGAFF) has been a strong pillar of support and cooperation to the Council since it came into being in 2007 ,and as well as since she took over in acting capacity, of the leadership of CRFFN,even as she
equally appreciated NAGAFF for its support in all aspects of the Council’s operations, especially as it relates to membership registration and collection of the Practitioners Operating Fee, POF.
The acting registrar promised that going forward,the Council would endeavour to pay the declarant fee as at when due to the beneficiaries

Acting Registrar Mrs Chinyere Uromta,in a group photograph with NAGAFF leaders during her visit to the NAGAFF Headphones inApapa ,Lagos ,on Monday, February 5,2024.
Her words,”The leadership of CRFFN is aware that we have huge outstanding remittance of this fee. “The reasons were partly due to wrong account numbers submitted initially and some other challenges beyond our immediate control. We would like to assure you that efforts are in place to commence payment of all outstanding and ensure, going forward, payment of this ‘gazetted’ fee, as at and when due. Kindly bear with us.
” I will like to seize this opportunity to implore the leadership of NAGAFF to further assist in registration of more members with the Council and further collaborate with us on POF payment as the proceed from the later will serve as a return on investment and will be well utilized for the purpose of continuous trainings for freight forwarders.

” Together, let us elevate the standards of freight forwarding in Nigeria, thereby contributing to a robust and seamlessly connected global supply chain network”.

(Middlle) Acting Registrar CRFFN,Mrs Chinyere Uromta, flanked by NAGAFF Leaders 

Mrs Uromta recalled that, “The core mandate of the Council is to professionalize the freight forwarding sector by developing standards, providing education and training programmes for freight forwarders. In 2020, the Council for the first time determined the minimum qualification required to practice freight forwarding in Nigeria which is the FIATA Diploma in Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management or its equivalent.
“These programmes qualifies you to practice freight forwarding in Nigeria. We equally have the Executive Professional Diploma (EPD) programme which serves as an executive pathway for Certificate of Experience as provided in the CRFFN Act.
“The main purpose of the programme is to validate the experience and update the knowledge of Executive Officers in the freight forwarding sector through an intensive one week residential programme.

L-R Deputy National President Seaports,Chief Afam Chukwuma,and Deputy National President, National Headquarters,Mr.Simeon Nwonu

“The University of Lagos, (UNILAG) and some other institutions of higher learning in Nigeria have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Council to deliver training programmes which cuts across Freight Forwarding, Logistics and Supply chain management. I am highly optimistic that these trainings, if well harnessed will contribute tremendously to the growth of your Association and the economy at large. We hope members will continuously take advantage of these programmes and build professional capacities” she stated.

The acting registrar added that ” Efforts are in place to ensure speedy completion and delivery our National Institute of Freight Forwarders (NIFF) building in Abuja which will further strengthen and enhance freight forwarders professional development and capacity building”.
Mrs. Uromta, assured that the Council would continue to facilitate and promote capacity building and other responsibilities to enhance the different aspects of the freight forwarding sector.
Earlier, the Deputy National President Headquarters,Mr Simeon Nwonu ,while welcoming the CRFFN delegation,noted that the Council has not been living up to expectation, stressing that this explains why Nigerian Shippers’ Council appears to have been playing the role they supposed to play as regulators of the Freight Forwarders.
He said CRFFN has for long distanced itself from stakeholders, particularly NAGAFF whose role was very pivotal to the enactment of the Act establishing it.
His words,

Deputy National President (Seaports) Chief Afam Chukwuma, speaking at the occasion 
” I thank God that government has removed you from the budget. It is now that you will make more money only if you liaise with NAGAFF. The maritime sector is like a mafia industry and it is a warfare, most of the government agencies would not want you to come in, so you have to fight”.
Members of NAGAFF present at the occasion bombarded the CRFFN with questions and ideas to make the Council more visible and proactive.Some of the questions bother on the collection of practising Operations Fee otherwise known as POF,Non remittance of declarant fee to beneficiaries ,non provision of Identity Card to enable freight Forwarders access to the ports amongst other contentious issues.
The National Secretary of NAGAFF,Mr.Igwe Kingsley,took the Council on several issues including the training of freight Forwarders,which he noted is the core responsibility of the CRFFN,but which has not been happening over the years.
He picked holes with the curriculum of the Counci,l stating that they are more theoretical than practical
” We should be getting professional training and not academic training.I should be trained on the things I do on daily basis” he argued.
Going further ,he suggested to the Council to do a free 6 months programme for freight Forwarders, “As it will attract freight forwarding practitioners to the council” he said.
Questions were also raised on the Council’s non functional website,e- mail ,and inability to conduct a national conference for stakeholders since inception,and the reason why the CRFFN training institute is located in Abuja,instead of Lagos or Port harcourt? among others.
Responding,the Acting Registrar,said the council has noted all the issues raised,and assured that they would be addressed,adding that all hands are on deck now,and that the Council will foster closer collaboration with stakeholders.
Mrs Uromta said the Council has done so many things that are not known to the public
On the issue of delay in the payment of declarant fee,she said that the council has paid accredited associations three months fee,and 58 individuals have been paid two months recently.
On the issue of website and e- mail,she said the Council has put up a machinery to address that,even as she appealed to the stakeholders to be patient on the issue of national conference ,assuring that something would be done in that regard this year.
Speaking at the occasion, Deputy National President, Seaports, NAGAFF, Mr. Afam Chukwuma assured CRFFN of full cooperation from NAGAFF in order to deliver on its mandate and achieve set objectives.

He affirmed that the CRFFN had not been firm enough in the collection of the POF payment at the port, adding that the enforcement arm of the council was not alive and active to its duty noting that there are so many people practicing without paying CRFFN.
He said also that there are cargoes leaving the port without paying POF. “You need to embark on strong consultation and engagement with other government agencies to get included in the Nigerian trade hub and the National Single Window. There are money flowing around in the port but you need to plug yourself into the system.” he said.
He proposed a NAGAFF/CRFFN special committee to continue to interface on challenges and how to bring back the Council on the right track, arguing that CRFFN is a baby of NAGAFF, therefore the Association would do everything within its powers to ensure that the Council Succeeds.