Freight operators under the aegis Concerned Nigeria Registered Freight Forwarders CNRFF, in Lagos, Thursday successfully held their maiden annual summit, where, they among several other recommendations sought the amendment of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding Practice in Nigeria CRFFN Act 16 of 2007.

The summit, which was organised in conjunction with the Freight Forwarders Consultative Forum FFCF, an organ of the CRFFN, was convened by Dr. Basil Nwaolisa and was chaired by Chief Ernest Elochukwu, also sought a proper functioning of the CRFFN in line with the intent and letters of the enabling Act.

In a 12-point communique, the summit recommended that the CRFFN establishment Act should be amended to reflect the required focus and independence. It also recommended that henceforth, the Council should effectively fulfill its mandate of training and retraining of practitioners and to always attend to the welfare of registered Freight Forwarders.

The stakeholders further demanded that the implementation of the 32-point solutions identified by FFCF in its meeting of August 2022 and ratified by the CRFFN in its meeting in September 2022 should be fast tracked.

The communique reads in part: “Summit agreed that there will be a Monitoring Committee for the implementations of solutions of identified problems in the subsector. Summit agreed that “Nigeria Freight Forwarding Summit” will be an annual event under same structure.

“Summit agreed that all stakeholders should close ranks and present a united front always. Summit recommended that henceforth, CRFFN Governing Council and management should be administered strictly according to the provisions of the establishment Act.

“Summit recommended that all freight forwarding associations should be merged into one body for effectiveness. Summit recommended improved relationships between governmental and non-governmental organisations in the ports and among freight forwarders henceforth”.

In making these recommendations, the stakeholders had recognised that the problems bedeviling the freight forwarding subsector in Nigeria has been increasing rather than decreasing and that solutions should be sought for henceforth.

They commended the efforts of the organisers of the summit as well as the sacrifices of participants who took time off their busy schedules to attend the event and make meaningful contributions, which would help in addressing some of the challenges faced in the freight forwarding segment of the maritime industry.