SUNNY EDEMENANG – UYO
A two- day training for freight forwarders ended in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, last weekend, with a call for all freight forwarding associations to merge as a family to optimize the resources and benefits of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN.
The call was made by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyeka Ayetola, at the event, disclosing that, government is out to improve Marine and Blue Economy, reform CRFFN to always meet its obligations to freight forwarders and stakeholders in the industry.
Represented by Prof. Busayo Fakinlade, the Minister expressed the desire of the federal government to see logistics business in Nigeria thrive while describing it as the biggest economy in terms of logistics in the whole of Africa.
” We control about one fourth of all logistics activities in the sub-Sahara region, but we are not benefitting as much as we are supposed to. In West Africa, 82 percent of all the cargoes designated to the Gulf of Guinea has final destination in Nigeria. So we are supposed to make money, expanding our different companies and associations”.
“Government is doing a lot to create a level playing field for logistics sector through the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, we are looking at the Act that set up the CRFFN, we are trying to amend the Act and make sure it is of international standard. We are also trying to bring all the associations together into one family so that we begin to harness the resources and benefits that suppose to go to the CRFFN in the country”.
The Minister urged all the fragmented associations to come together and avail themselves of the technology available to make their jobs much easier, efficient and expand their business. He assured the freight forwarders to look into the issue of brokering a better relationship for easy access of the Association to NPA and the Customs in the course of their operations.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Acting Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, CEO of the Council for the Registration of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, Mrs Chinyere Uromta, recognized the critical role freight forwarders play in facilitating international trade and harnessing of the our blue economy which presents a transformative pathway for Nigeria’s economic growth and development.
She said that the Council’s primary goal is to professionalize the freight forwarding sub-sector through education, training programs and industry standard development, which is crucial for enhancing the sector’s performance and reputation.
According to the Acting Registrar, “the Council has successfully implemented the two day training in the Southwest region, now in Port Harcourt for the Southeast, and to be followed by Northeastern region, to equip freight forwarders across the nation with perfect knowledge and skills necessary to drive growth, prosperity, and sustainability in the sub-sector”.
She Expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, under the leadership of Minister Adegboyeka Oyetola for the
support.
In a chat with our correspondent after the training, the Chairman of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF Onne Port, Fwdr. Ike Okechukwu Anselem, commended the CRFFN and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy for organizing the training which he described as very beneficial by impacting knowledge on freight forwarders in all areas of operation. He lauded the Acting Registrar in her positive response to float a CNG bus to ease movement of freight forwarders in the ports.
He expressed the hope that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy will enable freight forwarders enjoy more incentives as the CRFFN is training us.
“The topics treated like Digitalization of operations, Sustainability in business and Ethical issues will help us as professional customs brokers and freight forwarders”. Anselem concluded
The two days training of freight forwarders had the theme as: “Optimizing Nigeria’s Blue Economy Potentials”, and took place at GranMontecito Hotel, GRA, Port Harcourt. Papers presented by eminent resource persons on; “Introduction to Sustainability in the Freight Industry”, “A Competitive Perspective to Digital Imperative in Freight Forwarding” all by Joshua Ahuama, and, “Ethical and Contractual Issues in Freight Forwarding”, by Dr Ifeanyi Asogwa.
The Programme drew participants from the freight forwarding sub-sector, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the CRFFN. Prizes were won in the multiple choice evaluation questions, and participants went home with certificates of attendance.
