The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Thursday urged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to reconstitute the Governing Board of the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding of Nigeria (CRFFN).
The South East Zonal Secretary of ANLCA, Mayor Nwachukwu, said this at a Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting organised by the NSC for Shippers and Trade Groups in Aba, Abia.
Nwachukwu said the Board should be inaugurated before collecting the practising fees.
“We have heard that we should start paying practising fees but I want to say here that we cannot allow the collection of practising fees by CRFFN unless there is a board in place to properly oversee our activities.
“The NSC should constitute the Board of the Council for Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to properly regulate the activities of members.
“The Shippers’ Council should step up regulatory functions to reduce port charges and should also apply legal instruments to companies fleecing Nigerian importers and exporters,” he said.
The Operations Director, Michelin Tyres Services Ltd, Hart Sunday said shipping and other sectors in the country would prosper if government agencies weighed the implication of policies before making them.
Sunday also said the NSC should tell government agencies causing delays at the ports to refrain from such acts.
Permanent Secretary, Abia State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ernest Onyeuku said the state government had taken note of issues raised at the meeting.
Onyeukwu, who was represented by the Director of Commerce, Aba/Osisioma, Sam Nwagbara, said that government would work to ensure improvement in the industry.
The Director, Consumer Affairs, NSC, Ms. Azuka Ogo, said the Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting was aimed at creating a general understanding of the services of the council.
She said the council was working hard to ensure a reduction in the cost of doing business at the ports and to promote efficiency.
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