CRFFN enlists MWUN’s support to curb POF circumvention at nation’s ports

The Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Kingsley Igwe has sought the support of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) to assist in the collection of Practitioners Operating Fee (POF) at the nation’s ports.

Igwe made the appeal when he led management staff of the Council on a courtesy visit to the MWUN Secretariat in Lagos on Tuesday.

He noted that one of the challenges faced in the POF collection is the issue of circumvention by freight forwarding practitoners, and stressed the need for collaborative enforcement with MWUN.

He said, “POF collection is still on. So far, we will need the support of the maritime workers union in this sense. Because one thing that we are having as a challenge is the easy manner in which it’s been circumvented.

“So here, we are looking at enforcing deeply through manpower mobilization, through sensitization, and all of that. I know even part of the people involved might also fall within the purview of maritime workers union.

“So we also need their input to help aggregate the people, those who are paying POF as well as those who need to enforce POF.”

Noting that the POF is the Council’s primary source of internally generated revenue (IGR), Igwe said whatever is generated from POF will supplement
the Council’s budget, enabling it to fulfill its financial obligations and operational functions.

Igwe also acknowledged the operational challenges faced by the consultant responsible for POF collection, including network issues.

He, however, noted that the problem of network failure is not only peculiar to POF collection, assuring that efforts would be made to address the problem to ensure efficient collection of the fee.

“Whatever we can get from POF collection, you know, it’s our biggest source of IGR for now so in addition to the budget allocated it can lead us to somewhere. So far, this is the status of the POF collection. However, we will definitely, make things work better as time goes on.

“Irrespective of the fact that the consultant is still struggling with the efficiency of their operation, we are all in it together. So with time, things will improve.

“All of us are in the field. We can’t shy away from it. We understand the challenges of network but It’s not only peculiar to POF collection.

“Sometimes Customs will tell you your duty is not successful because of network failure. So I think these are man-made instruments that suffer a little hitch from time to time. So that is also what is affecting POF collection,” he said.

The Registrar lauded the President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, for the union’s support and expressed his commitment to strengthening the relationship between the two organizations.

Responding, Adeyanju expressed confidence in Igwe’s leadership to revitalize the council for greater efficiency.

He pledged to support the Council in the POF collection by engaging freight forwarding practitioners and associations who are yet to comply.

“He (Igwe) has been given the mantle of leadership and what we need to do is to rally around and support him so that the Council is not relegated. He has the energy and experience considering where he’s coming from to revive the council.

“The government is looking for how to get more revenue so if someone is trying to hinder the process, what’s the job of MWUN? It is to support the Council because we have the manpower to do that. You can count on us for support,” Adeyanju assured the CRFFN Registrar.