By Kenneth Jukpor
The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has begun collection of Practitioners’ Operating Fees (POF) today, even as the agency says it is ready to absorb the backlash and address potential challenges to confront freight forwarders.
The Registrar of CRFFN, Barr. Samuel Nwakohu said this earlier today during a demonstration of the online POF payment procedures to newsmen and freight forwarders at the CRFFN headquarters, in Lagos.
The processes were outlined in eight steps from the point access to the CRFFN Portal, to membership login, generate POF, enter Bill of Lading (BoL) number, system validation of BoL, payments which could be made at commercial banks, e-wallet or card (internet banking), print receipts and present receipts at terminal for cargo clearance.
Speaking at the conference, Nwakohu noted that CRFFN was yet to fully integrate its online platform with the terminal operators, hence the terminal operators would rely on an Excel sheet on payments from CRFFN to release cargoes.
His words: “Until we have an integration with terminal operators, they would have an Excel sheet where the details will appear as soon as the POF receipt is printed. That Excel sheet would be provided because as the POF receipt is generated, the information is also stored on the portal which we would print and send to the terminal operators”
“I can say that we have driven POF to have a logical process. All the processes have been highlighted today in this launch. The terminal operators would verify the receipts before the cargoes exit the ports.”
The Registrar described the process as an easy one for all freight forwarders who can read and write, stating that the processes have been sent to all accredited associations as well as mobile application.
“This process is as simple as sending a text message. However, there is also a support group comprising sixteeen men and you would have to unveil to pin to them. This is a risk such freight forwarders would have to bear. The process can be completed via one’s mobile phone or a laptop”, he added.
He also stressed that the collection would be as transparent as possible, even as he stated that he was expecting calls and social media queries as backlash following the commencement of POF collection.
