By Godwin Oritse

CHAIRMAN of the  Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, Col. Abubakar Tsani, (retd) has said that about 75 percent of freight forwarders currently practicing in Nigeria are untrained.

Speaking to Vanguard Maritime Report on the sideline of the just concluded corporate dinner and merit awards hosted by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Tsani said that training of freight forwarders is key to the development of the profession.

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Tsani said, however, that the collection of the Professional Operating Fee, POF, will help in the training of freight forwarders that will further benefit them in the long run.

He disclosed that the Institute of Freight Forwarders in Abuja has been put on notice for the expected training schedule adding that with the leadership of the Council, it has been co-opted into the Board of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, FIATA.

He said: “When you look at the level of freight forwarders we have now you will see that 75 per cent of them are not trained, but with this collection of POF, we are going to do a lot of training of freight forwarders.

“So for me, it is for the best interest of the freight forwarders. Presently, we have the Institute of Freight Forwarders in Abuja under the Council. Our training will be of international standard.”

On the POF collection causing delay in cargo delivery process, Tsani said that it will not cause any delay if the freight forwarder knows what to do.

On the fee of N1,000 per twenty-foot container and N2,000 for 40 foot-container, the Council chair said that if the freight forwarder considers the benefit of POF, the payment will mean nothing to him or her.

He also disclosed that the collection of POF will begin on February 3rd, 2020 assuring that the collection will be hitch-free.