In a bid to ensure that freight forwarders in Rivers State comply with the federal directive on the online portal payment of their operational fee, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has embarked on sensitization and demonstration of CRFFN Portal registration, annual subscription and processing of practitioners’ Operating Fee (POF) payment.
The director, regulations and enforcement, Opara Basil said the programme was to educate the freight forwarders on the methodology of paying their operational fee digitally as cash payment has been fizzled out to avoid loopholes and loose ends.
He expressed confidence that the new innovation would propel quick service delivery, instill transparency and accountability, and urged the freight forwarders to take advantage of the portal and make their payment which he said is time saving.
Sir Opara frowned at the attitude of freight forwarders in the state, noting that the terminal operators in Lagos have started their online payment since March the directive was given.
He further stated that starting from October 1, every terminal is expected to enforce the online payment when the appropriate security agencies will begin to clamp down on defaulters.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of Eastern Port, CP Tam Peterside who was represented by his DCP, Monday Agbonika said the innovation will make their job easier when investigating crime and that the issue of forgery during payment will be a thing of the past.
He said it is their primary duty to ensure that there is peace, safety and security at the Port and described the new innovation as welcome development.
Ngozi Uzohuo, the Chairman of Terminal Operators of Area 1 expressed gratitude to CRFFN for the knowledge they impacted in them, saying that the new innovation is a welcome development and prayed for the success of the process.
