THE Council for Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, CRFFN, refuting the claims by the President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, that CRFFN are transporters, and should be asked to quit the premises of Nigerin ports Authorit, NPA.

In a letter dated September 9, 2013 with reference:  CRFFN/NPA/RG/005  and addressed to the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, CRFFN says: “ We have been undaunted with Media reports of the letter by the acclaimed President of the fractional National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) dated 5th August, 2013 titled “Threat to the peace at the Nations Ports by the dissolved and expired Board of the Council of Regulation of Freight Forwarders through their unwholesome conduct” and that addressed to you dated 16th August, 2013 on the above subject matter.

Ordinarily, we would have ignored the unwholesome campaign borne out of ignorance through those letters, but known the antecedents of the acclaimed fractional President of NCMDLCA, Mr. Lucky Amiwero and considering the false alarm and weighty allegations made in the said letters, it pertinent to avail you with the facts of this matter.

Section 4 of the Council’s Act No. 16 of 2007 has clearly spelt out the Functions of the CRFFN which amongst others that 4(a) “determining the persons or classes of persons who constitute freight forwarders for the purposes of this Act” and 4(e) that “regulating and controlling persons who are engaged in freight forwarding”. Section 2 of the CRFFN Act (Registration of Freight Forwarders) Regulations, 2010 made pursuant thereto states that “These Regulations shall apply to a freight forwarder referred to in these Regulations as Forwarder who engages in one or a combination of the following freight forwarding services in Nigeria: (1) Licensed Customs clearing and forwarding agent, or customs brokerage or broker making customs declaration”.

Section 19(2) of the CRFFN Act states that: “Every freight forwarder licensed under the Customs and Excise Management Act prior to the coming into force of this Act, shall immediately after the commencement of this Act, submit to the Nigeria Customs Service and any relevant authority, a certificate of registration issued by the Council”.