Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Sir Mike Jukwe said the council might deregister any freight forwarder or freight forwarding association that fails to pay its practicing or subscription fee.
The Registrar disclosed this on Friday at a press conference tagged ‘freight forwarding reforms’ at the council’s secretariat in Apapa, Lagos.
He said, “I am assuring you that they will pay because if the monies are not paid, there are sanctions and we will apply the sanctions accordingly.
“Part of the sanctions is to deregister anyone who doesn’t pay what he is supposed to pay to the council. We can also come up with other sanctions which may be not having some of the benefit they are entitled to such as the group insurance scheme. You will not be part of the pension scheme if you are not paying the statutory fee.”
Jukwe said CRFFN was not the only regulatory body asking its members to pay statutory fees but that payment of the fee would make the members of the council loyal to its course.
“They money we asked them to pay is subscription. They are not major kind of money but they are money that make you committed and make you feel that you are part of the body and the body is part of you.
“Freight forwarders and associations owe CRFFN, no doubt perhaps I don’t want to sit down here and tell you why the money is not being paid. So in the year 2015, we will come up with a time frame when all the money will be turned in and those who fail to do so will be sanctioned,” he said.
Also, as part of its reform of the freight forwarding industry, Jukwe said the council would begin to clamp down on freight forwarding companies that fail to comply with standards set by it. He said the council will also crack down on quacks in the industry.
“Starting from 2015, CRFFN will be closing offices of freight forwarders that do not comply with standard until they conform to standard. The regular visit to these registered corporate practitioners is to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and international best practice.
“The associations’ task force is to collaborate with the council’s enforcement team and other law enforcement agencies for regular monitoring and raiding of quacks and illegal operators from our ports,” he stated.
He said there was harmony and unity of purpose between CRFFN and the registered freight forwarding associations.
He said, “As you see us seated here today, it is a permanent union. Though we must disagree to agree. I cannot tell you we will not disagree, we can disagree but it will be based on principles and the disagreement will also further strengthen our agreement on issues.
“The important thing is that we are one united partner in the development and sustenance of freight forwarding practice in Nigeria so let me assure you on behalf of my brothers here and in the presence of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council that we will remain a united and firm body to move freight forwarding in this country forward.”
Present at the press briefing were the President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Olayiwola Shittu; President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Chief Eugene Nweke; President General National Association of Air Freight Forwarders and consolidators (NAFFAC) Chukwuma Agubamah; President, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (ARREFN) Frank Ukor and President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Chief Festus Ejiofor.
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