By Godwin Oritse
THE  Region Africa/Middle East (RAME) Session of  International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations   FIATA, has decried  the high rate of levy collected as Cargo Tracking Note on Nigerian bound containers saying that Nigeria is the only country that collects such high rate of CTN levy.

Speaking to newsmen in Lagos recently, the President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Prince Shittu Olayiwola said that the action has portray Nigeria in bad light to members of the FIATA  adding that, that is why a project like CTN is accepted.

Shittu was a member of a high-powered delegation from the Council for  the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), led by it its Chairman, Aare Hakeem Olanrewaju , that recently attended the FIATA Headquarters’ Session for the very first time in 2011 since its admission into the global body of freight logistics.

The CRFFN was admitted as a member of FIATA on October 8, 2010

He disclosed that in Ghana, the collection of CTN is as low as $25.00 as against $450 .00 – $600.00 per  container in Nigeria.
His words “ The president of Ghanian Freight Forwarders was the one that took the microphone and said this type of thing can only happen in Nigeria

“ Has any body seen a CTN certificate, is it different from what we have on the Bill of Lading, it is a shame that when we see day light robbery, maybe because some of us benefit from it we over look it and pretends as if all is well. “I have no apology saying that it is only in Nigeria that CTN has been made a money making industry.

“Out of the over 135 countries that were there Nigeria was about the only country that is said to be collecting CTN levies on containers.

It will be recalled that the Container Tracking Note levies introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority became controversial and the government has to suspend the scheme. Also  the leader of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport had called for a public hearing where it was decided that the monopoly of collection be broken and  more collecting agents be allowed into the scheme.