The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has advised the Management of the AP Moller Terminals (APMT) to desist from its plan to admit agents to its examination bay at Apapa for the purpose of carrying out physical examination of cargo on provision of customs license.
NAGAFF gave this advice through a letter written to the Management of the terminal by the Secretary of the association, Mr. Arthur Igwilo and titled,” Re: Meeting held 4th February 2016 at APMT with regards to physical examination access control”, a copy of which was made available to Primetime Reporters on Friday.
NAGAFF while admitting the receipt of the APMT’s letter however described the content of the letter as unacceptable to the association arguing that since there were two legislative instruments controlling and regulating the practice of freight forwarding business in Nigeria, it was wrong for management to base its decision on one of the instruments.
It said, “The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA).The later deals with corporate bodies licensed by the Customs and the former deals with Individuals, Corporate and Associations. It is also important that you note that the activities of the Licensed Customs Agents are subsumed in the practice of Freight Forwarding business along the Supply Chain Management and carriage of goods across international frontiers and to the
final destination.
“You may wish to transact business with Freight Forwarders than Licensed Customs Agents for administrative convenience. In other words, when you deal with CRFFN, you would have covered the licensed Customs Agents duly represented by persons in form C30 of the declarant form of the Nigeria
Customs Service.
“We advise that henceforth you should address us as Freight Forwarders instead of Customs Agents. It is also important that you liaise with the CRFFN to obtain the freight forwarders register which shall enable you to profile and identify those eligible to enter your terminal for Customs examination. The reality and relevance of APMT authority for freight forwarders to enter the exam bay should be based on the register of CRFFN and not Customs License.
“Please take note that we are duly informed that the meeting where your decisions were taken were inconclusive and therefore it is of no effect and it is not binding. We advise that you still engage in discussions over this matter to avoid anything that may breach the peace of the port.
“The relevance or otherwise of the Customs License is predicated on the certification of CRFFN under Section 19 (a & b) of the CRFFN Act. Therefore we advise that you work in close collaboration with CRFFN management and the Customs for direction. We have it on good authority that the young freight forwarders are very angry over this development”.
The association however informed that it had advised and encouraged its members to keep the peace currently being enjoyed at the ports while all the contending issues were being resolved
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