BY EGUONO ODJEGBA
The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) yesterday, urged the leadership and management of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) led by its Acting Registrar, Mrs. Chinyere Uromta to find thetime to visit again to resolve apparent administrative issues and mix-ups central to the latter’s visit.
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This is even as ANLCA President, Mr. Emenike Nwokeoji drummed it loudly to the hearing of the CRFFN that the formation and establishment of the Council would have been impossible without ANLCA as the driving force, and further urged the leadership of the Council to always keep that consciousness in mind as such silent reminder would serve its purpose for all time, noting that ANLCA is the father and the number one accredited associations by all ramifications; and should be accorded that due respect.
Furthermore, in a bid to drive effective regulations of freight forwarding in addition to achieving a productive training of practitioners by the Council, it was agreed that the Council and ANLCA should establish a joint committee to address noticeable areas of conflicts and related regulatory issues.
Members of both organizations had during the meeting expressed divergent views on some critical issues ranging from administrative defects associated with professional operating fee (POF), members registration, training cost, sharing formula for revenue reallised amongst others.
After Mrs. Uromta’s address members of ANLCA expressed their dissatisfaction on the above issues including CRFFN perceived poor visibility and engagements with practitioners, among others. To address these challenges, it was agreed that a joint Committee comprising members of both organizations should be set up to achieve strategic input aimed at enhancing the regulatory synergy between council and the association.
The Acting Registrar has called for the deepening of professional development and capacity building as part of the Council’s mandate to professionalize the freight forwarding sector by developing standards and professional training and retraining of freight forwarders.
She said, “In 2020, the Council 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 qualify 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.”
On his part , the President of ANLCA encouraged the Council to be more proactive and intentional in its commitment to engaging freight agents, describing the visit and meeting as a step in the right direction.
While noting that ANLCA was yet to receive any reimbursement on declarant fees for associations, Nwokeoji also lamented that as declarants, some members of the association are also being owed; even as he expressed displeasure at attempts by certain persons to appropriate the making of the CFFN.
“Personally I know what it took me when we were fighting to establish CRFFN years ago. I stumbled on a draft of the CRFFN Act and we made input. We sent for the then Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and fought until it went to the National Assembly and we were there to defend the CRFFN Act. But the moment the agency came on stream, some people came as vultures and claimed to be the owners of CRFFN.”
Other chieftains of ANLCA present at the meeting include Prince Oduntan, Hajia Bola Muse, Olumide, Suliaman, Onyenme, Goody.