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By Steve Agbota
The Council for the Regulations of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has concluded plans to impose sanctions on terminal operators that are yet to comply with the directives of the Federal Government on the collection of the Practitioners Operating Fee (POF).
Speaking recently, the Registrar of the Council; Mr Sam Nwakohu, said the Council recorded 29, 714 paid invoices for the month of July 2022.
He said the Ministry of Transportation already gave a directive on payment of POF and as such at the expiration of the deadline, the Council will sanction erring terminals.
Nwakohu also confirmed that following compliance by APM Terminal and WACT in Lagos and Onne respectively, there has been tremendous improvement in the POF accruals.
Also speaking, Director, Regulations and Enforcement CRFFN, Basil Oparah, said that APM Terminal and WACT are responsible for over 6,137 paid invoices out of the 29,714 paid invoices for July 2022.
According to him, the ministry directed the Council to further engage non-compliant seaports terminals and bonded terminals to comply or face government sanction after September 10, 2022.
He said the Council was working with all stakeholders to ensure that full compliance was achieved in all seaport and bonded terminals nationwide.
“As at July 1, 2022, some non-compliant terminal operators commenced POF enforcement, including APMT and WACT. These two major container terminals are responsible for 6,137 paid invoices of the 29,714 paid invoices for the month of July 2022.
“On this ground, the Council updated the Federal Ministry of Transportation as usual on the statistics of POF enforcement nationwide and according to the attached letter from the Ministry.”
we were directed to further engage non-compliant seaports and bonded terminals to comply or face Government sanctions after September 10, 2022.
He added: “On this light, the Council have since engaged some major seaport terminals as well as bonded terminals that are yet to comply with government directives and are receiving responses. The Council will update the Ministry as directed after the expiration of the timeline”.
“The Council is working with all stakeholders to ensure that full compliance is achieved in all seaports and bonded terminals nationwide” he said.
