The Sun News Online

Freight Forwarding operators have celebrated their maiden Freight Forwarders’ Day amidst pomp and ceremony. One of the freight forward, Dr Boniface Aniebonam who spoke on the event also explained in details how his Association (National association of Government Approved freight forwarders was able to contribute towards the transformation of the freight forwarding industry inspite of the teething hiccups faced at the early stages and how the council was born.

My vision
The vision for the establishment of NAGAFF dated back to the late 1990s. It was borne out of the need to ensure that “Clearing and Forwarding” (as it was then called) was professionalised and dignified and re-christened.

We did predict that freight practitioners would cease from using that derogatory name “Clearing and Forwarding Agent”.
Here in NAGAFF, we have had cause to look back and agree that the struggle for the enthronement of professionalism and sustainable freight forwarding practice has been worthwhile.

Freight forwarders council
We thank God also that as of today there is a council in place to regulate our profession, we can now proudly parade ourselves as professionals in the manner lawyers, doctors, pilots, accountants and several other professionals are designated. As a means of showing our appreciation for the dignity restored to our profession by the previous two National Assemblies, we have resolved to declare the 29th day of November every year as freight forwarders Day in Nigeria. Activities lined up to mark the day every year shall include public lectures, workshops, seminars and prestigious awards for merit and excellent performance to recognize individuals and organizations.

Importance of the Act
One notable aspect of Act 16 of 2007 that established the Council is that you don’t necessarily need customs license to practise as a professional freight forwarder. This is because with the act in full, the licenses issued by Customs, becomes just like that of NPA and shipping company authorities for cargo delivery. This in itself has opened a wide vista of opportunities for practitioners to venture into several other aspects of freight forwarding which include warehousing, cargo consolidation, haulage, packing and packaging and other associated formalities.

List of purported freight forwarders
I need to comment on the recent list of purported freight forwarders published for the purpose of election, while appreciating the efforts of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council in ensuring early commencement of the Act, we are compelled to advise that a proper and closer supervision of officers be ensured. The intention of the Act is to regulate individuals as professionals, while ensuring the attainment of minimum standards of competence and knowledge to be acquired by practitioners.
The said published list contained many organizations and bodies who are all registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission probably as freight forwarders. One begins to wonder if medical doctors, accountants and lawyers as professionals have their various levels of competence determined by the corporate organization council. We however hope in the competence of the Nigerian Shippers Council in facilitating the early take off of the freight forwarders Council will never be in doubt, we are worried because over time, there have been too many mistakes.

Minimum qualification required by the Council
With the passage of the Freight Forwarders Council Act, it is mandatory that you need some minimum amount of knowledge and competence before you can practice as a professional freight forwarder or as a logistician and this prompted our establishment of a freight forwarders academy and our collaboration with the University of Lagos in the training of practitioners up to Diploma and Advanced diploma levels.

My advice is that intending freight forwarders should go back to school and study courses related to economics and international trade, Customs facilitation and transportation in order for us to be relevant in the coming years.