Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The Vice President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, Kayode Farinto has described the cost of the internal crisis to both Customs brokers and the Nigerian Maritime industry as unquantifiable.
Besides the loses, the leadership of the Council for the Regulation of Freight forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN also decried drop in the payment of Practitioners Operating Fee, POF, paid by Customs brokers due to the crisis.
Speaking to newsmen at the end of a meeting called to resolve the crisis last week in Lagos, Farinto said what the industry has lost to the crisis is colossal adding that it cannot be quantified.
Farinto also said that both the government and members of the association lost monies in terms dues, fees and other taxes to the situation.
He said: “What we have lost is colossal, in terms monies lost to crisis, it is a huge amount, we cannot even attempt to quantify it. Loses were recorded on both the side of government and on us as individuals.
“While the crisis lasted, our members were not better off but we thank God that the issues have been resolved.
“First and foremost, I am happy that we are coming back together, and another thing is that we have been preaching about the fact that the group need core professionals to manage the association. We need proper officers at the helm of affairs of the association.
“I am appealing to members to key into the ideals of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CTFFN. I have told members to key into the CRFFN and register with the agency. I am the Chairman of the Education Committee of the Council. Very soon, if you are certified, you will not be allowed to enter the ports. Any uncertified agent found in the port will go to jail.”
Recall that the ANLCA had been embroidered in numerous crisis that has taken a better part of the group in the last five years.
On the drop of POF payment, the Registrar of CRFFN, Mrs. Chinyere Uromta said the with the crisis over, the POF will begin to roll in again.
Uromta explained that the industry is back to full swing and the industry and the nation’s economy will be better for it.
“I am honestly overwhelmed by the progress we have made today, my haert is filled with joy especially the way the personalities involved in crisis displayed their level of maturity” Uromta stated.
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