The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Nigeria has thrown it weight behind the Practitioners’ Operating Fee (POF) collection by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) saying that there is no profession that cannot be controlled or licensed.
The National Executive Director, CILT Nigeria, Mr. Paul Ndibe who stated this in a chat with Primetime Reporters in Lagos recently observed that one had a registration as a freight forwarder was not enough arguing that every year, such practitioner must renew the permit to practice as that was the only way his previous behavior in the profession could be assessed.
In his words, “It is important you document who are the freight forwarders and license them appropriately. By licensing them means you monitor them and also follow up what they do. So, in that case, practitioners’ operating fee should be collected from those who are practicing in that particular profession. That is the only way they can be closely monitor.
“There are often complains on the part of the freight forwarders, sharp practices and nobody follows up with that but if they are denied the opportunity to practice because you can only trace them when they have been licensed to operate, you that complained will now use this particular license to monitor them and hold them to account for whatever behavior.
“So, if they don’t do this, they can operate anywhere but if they know that their license for a particular year will not be renewed on account of a certain misdemeanor, of course, they should sit up. By doing that, it means more of professional services can be rendered in terms of freight forwarding and that will eliminate a lot of sharp practices and the disaffections shippers encounter in the hands of the freight forwarders.
“So, I think that paying this fee will enable the government to closely monitor them and for them to do actually what is appropriate for them to do.”
“So, in essence, we support the collection of POF because there is no profession that you cannot control or licensed. That you have a registration as a freight forwarder is not enough, every year, you must renew the permit to practice and that is the only way your previous behavior can be looked into”, he added.
Photo: National Executive Director, CILT Nigeria, Mr. Paul Ndibe.
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