Freight Forwarders Group; CREFFPON Calls For Suspension of POF Collection At Ports
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The Congregation of Registered Freight Forwarding Practitioners of Nigeria (CREFFPON) has called on the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to suspend its intentions to commence collection of Practitioners Operations Fee (POF) at Nigerian ports.
The CRFFN had reportedly written official letter to the accredited associations on the commencement of the POF collection with effect from today being the 1st day of March, 2021.
DAILY TREND NEWS also reported exclusively that a terminal operator; TICT Terminal issued a public notice to freight forwarders, warning that failure to pay the POF, they would not be allowed to take delivery of their cargoes.
CREFFPON in a press statement signed by its Administrator Public Affairs, Fwdr. E. Chukwudire-Obi described the initiative as a clandestine and insensitive move undertaken by the CRFFN.
The CREFFPON condemned the commencement of the POF collection without the input and involvement of the elected freight forwarders on the board of CRFFN.
CREFFPON advised that CRFFN should first address operational challenges presently faced by freight forwarders on daily basis, before contemplating the enforcement of POF collection.
It stated that by this move the CRFFN has brazenly demonstrated its administrative carelessness towards the plights of the freight forwarding Practitioners in Nigeria.
“The CRFFN with an incomplete administrative structure appears to be in a terrible haste to perpetuate an extended exploitations and compound the prevailing suppression, exploitations and extortions heaped on the freight forwarders in our ports cargo clearance chain”
“Ideally, the CRFFN is saddled with the tasks of training and retraining for skill acquisition; setting operational standards; defend the cause of Professionalism, promote the culture of transparency to ease noticeable bottlenecks in operations; regulate and sanction ailing Practitioner; create an enabling environment that will guarantee the welfare of the Practitioners; etc”
“Unfortunately, the CRFFN has kept mute and mouth sealed, while the Freight Forwarders are being tossed up and down, jumping from pillar to post, kneeling begging just to make a living from their chosen Profession, from this singular act exhibited by the CRFFN it shows that, their interest is only revenue driven regardless of the wellbeing of the Practitioners business and the Profession itself”
“Today, the Practitioners are not only helpless but highly disillusioned, due to no positive leadership representation both from the accredited Associations and the CRFFN”
“The POF collection, if it was agreed to facilitate prompt capacity building objectives, the CREFFPON is not against, but from moves exhibited so far, that initial Agreement can no longer be guaranteed in the face of unfolding events. Therefore, the CRFFN should repeat and carry out a holistic sensitization and enlightenment of stakeholders and practitioners on the matter of POF collection and the importance and benefits therefrom”
“The CREFFPON queries and presently doubts the accountability and uprightness in Financial management of the POF collection without the elected freight forwarders to supervise the processes”
“The CREFFPON wishes to state in strong terms that the administration of the Council with a present composite of 95% non Professional is not acceptable. It has become obvious that, the Government through the machination of the transport Ministry should be told to refrain from equating and treating a professional Council to a mere agency of the Government”
“The CRFFN should immediately suspend the POF collection intent until it shows commitment to the welfare of practitioners, this is paramount”
