Council moves to halt forgery, revenue leakage

There is plan by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to end document falsification and revenue leakage at the nation’s seaports.

The Registrar of the council, Mr Samuel Nwakohu, said in Lagos that automation of all clearing processes would end document falsification in cargo clearing at the seaports and borders.

He noted that the automation policy would be introduced before the end of the second quarter of 2019 as part of efforts to revolutionalise cargo clearing in Nigeria.

Nwakohu explained that the policies being introduced by the council would streamline operations in Nigerian ports.

The registrar explained that delays in cargo clearing had been traced to wrong documentation and sharp practices among the freight forwarders.

Nwakohu noted that the automation being put in place by the council would eliminate constant loss of government revenue through document forgery.

The registrar lamented that some port users were still in the habit of defrauding the Federal Government despite government’s efforts to make transactions in the port easier.

Nwakohu stressed that the council would ensure that all operatives and clearing associations would key into automation to check malpractice through paper forgery and insincere declarations.

He noted: “We have to come up with innovations that will restore the confidence of investors, government and practitioners in the system, because if the system goes wrong, everyone will be affected.

“Our freight forwarders will be made to know the negative impact document falsification has on the economy.’’

Nwakohu was optimistic that automation would quicken cargo clearing, noting that the government would get more revenue.