By Uzor Odigbo
The Council for the Regulations of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), has assured registered practitioners that it would continue to engage the federal government and other border authorities on the sustainability of Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) regime.
Chairman of the Council , Alhaji Abubakar Tsanni, gave the assurance on Friday in Lagos at a programme put together by “The Journal of Freight and Energy”.
Tsanni said that there had been long standing efforts to deepen country to country trading activities within West Africa under regional economic bodies like ECOWAS, adding that Nigerian freight forwarders have not tapped from neighboring countries in terms of business benefits.
The Council ‘s boss lamented that foreign nationals are comfortable operating as freight forwarders in Nigeria but noted such cannot occur in neighboring countries in the sub region.
He pointed out that the development contradicts the principles of General Agreement of Tariff and Trade (GATT),which according to him, seek to promote international trade by reducing or eliminate trade barriers.
While harping on the theme of the conference “Maximising Benefits Of Intra Africa Trade Under (AfcFTA), Tsanni reiterated that businesses and trade can only thrive there are orderliness, mutual respect, obedience to constituted authorities to promote international best practice.
“CRFFN will continue to liaise with government and across the border authorities to ensure that the agreement is not further used to undermine Nigerian freight forwarders like in the past.
“CRFFN under our administration will forge stronger tie with the Nigerian Shippers Council and see how our Nigerian professionals can be allowed unfettered access to practice in other countries , just like we have been allowing other nationals here even before the signing of the AfCFTA agreement.
“We in CRFFN as regulators,are making conscious efforts to improve on the quality and standards of Nigerian freight forwarders.
Speaking further, the CRFFN boss lauded efforts by the Nigerian Shippers Council for the bold steps on the regulatory roles in the transport logistics chain supply.
“We shall pursue and ensure that Nigerian freight forwarders is not duly prevented by their peers in other countries by promoting their unfettered access to businesses outside the shores of Nigeria within the ambit of AfCFTA”, he added.
