Terminal charges: NAGAFF founder, Aniebonam knocks CRFFN, appeals for calm among freight agents.
...says increased operational costs, subsidy removal responsible for hike
Segun Oladipupo
As the imbroglio over increase in terminal charges continues to fester in the maritime industry, the Founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has knocked the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) for failing in its regulatory roles
Dr. Aniebonam who doubles as the founder of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) also took a swipe at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for shying away from its economic regulatory functions.
He maintained that the inadequacies arising from the failure of both agencies, give leeway to terminal operators and shipping companies to increase charges arbitrarily.
The NAGAFF founder stated this in a release he made public on Thursday.
He called for calm among the freight forwarding associations even as he sought that they close ranks and work together for the common good of the members.
The NAGAFF boss who agreed that increase in operational costs engendered the increase in charges, called on the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to call a meeting of the stakeholders and terminal operators to seat and work out a competitive price increase that is reasonable and affordable.
His words, “Worse still is the wobbling and fumbling of the council for the regulation of freight forwarding in Nigeria to meet up with their regulatory functions. At the other end the Nigeria shippers Council whose mandate is to protect the interest of the shippers at macro level may be shying away from its statutory responsibilities.
“The inadequacies from these background provides a greater opportunity for the terminal operators to operate freely as business enterprises whose ultimate goal is to maximise profit
“The truth of the matter is straight forward and unambiguous for us to understand that their operational cost have increased thereafter the removal of oil subsidy. Therefore the urgent need for them to break even as business enterprises can not be overemphasised.
“What shall be most appropriate at the moment is for the Nigeria shippers Council to call for an emergency meeting of the stakeholders and the terminal operators to seat and work out a competitive price increase that is reasonable and affordable.
“In the interim whereas this idea may manifest the urgent need to stop the arbitrary increase becomes inevitable on the part of the Nigeria shippers Council to act and direct accordingly. This may be the way going forward to avert the looming unrest in the customs ports by the freight forwarders
“Whatever it may be it is my belief that this is the time for sacrifices and hardwork if we must come out from the present economic hardship in our country. I therefore appeal to freight forwarding PRACTIONERS to exercise restraint and cooperate with the government authority to broker the unrest for the peace of the ports.
“Dialogue, consultation and communication are the ways going forward in conflict resolution other violence. It is also very important that terminal operators should always seek for approval of increase on charges from the appropriate authority in the transportation ministry and due consultation with the stakeholders
“We share their difficulties like any other in Nigeria. On the sideline the comptroller General of customs is being called upon to ensure that appropriate customs duty assessment on imported goods follow standard operating condition. At the moment it seems that imports into Nigeria are being over valued for customs purposes.
“The quest to meet revenue target may be the remote cause other than the pursuit for trade facilitation and compliance to import and export regulations. It is my hope that with the lifting of ban on the 43 items that the compliance level shall increase in making declaration for customs purposes,” he submitted.
