. Professional associations cannot front as political parties in CRFFN election, say freight forwarders
. Amaechi urged to review activities of accredited freight forwarders’ associations
By Fredrick Wright
The Ministry of transportation has been urged to forge ahead with the credible conduct of elections of credible leaders in the governing council of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN), and ignore the threat to withdraw from the election by a group.
Some concerned freight forwarders and independent contestants in the forthcoming election alleged a situation whereby some gladiators are planning to turn professional associations into political parties and smuggle their stooges into the board.
The independent contestants, in an open letter to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, signed by Chukwuemeka Godfrey Nwosu, urged him to: “be decisive and stay resolute in adherence to the provisions of the Act 16 2007 and not fall for the cheap threats of backing out from the election, go ahead and direct for the conduct of the election of 15 registered freight forwarders into the governing council. Doing so, is fulfilling the provisions of the CRFFN Act,”
He alleged that the ‘political parties’ in their attempt to hijack the forthcoming election arose from a meeting where they x-rayed the bitter truth and counseling dished out to them by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry during the recent stakeholders meeting at Eko Hotels in Lagos, find it difficult to accept the reality of the moment as it were, especially in the context of the provisions of Act 16 2007.
He said: “Their resort to threatening the minister, that they (industry political parties) and its “members may back out of the forthcoming CRFFN election 2021 if the transportation ministry continues to violate the provisions of the act”. This allegation of violation of the provisions of the Act 16 2007 purely is a case of the ” pot calling the kettle black”, because themselves are in breaches of the CRFFN Act 16 2007 provisions.
“Honorable Minister, what is known in the CRFFN Act via Regulation 2010 is the Accredited Freight Forwarding Associations in Nigeria, the CRFFN does not have the legislative powers to register associations.
“Presently, there exists in the freight forwarding sub-sector of the maritime industry, not less than 20 different freight forwarding related associations and groupings all duly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“The CRFFN can only register individual practicing freight forwarders as practitioners and not freight forwarding association. Reason for the choice words: “accredited freight forwarding associations” is obvious in these regards.”
Nwosu stressed that: “This so-called political parties masquerading as registered associations with CRFFN, devised a political arithmetic coded 6:6:1:1:1 for the purpose of rigging the CRFFN governing council election 2021.
“It is an irony that these industry political leaders are vehemently turning a professionally driven arena into a political theatre even doing so with impunity. The need to wield professional hammer to instill professional discipline promptly cannot be over emphasized.
“In furtherance to the actualization of their political arithmetic coded 6:6:1:1: the parties brought their nightmares to the fore, when it noted that; ‘And for the records, it is important that we inform the minister of transportation that all of the so called individual contestants are members of NAGAFF. Dr Eugene Nweke and Dr Increase Uche for instance are former and seating president of NAGAFF respectively. Both of them have been members of the council board’.
“The truth is that, they are merely afraid of this individuals professional disposition in the industry, especially in their insistence to evolve and sustain professionalism in the freight forwarding profession other than ambushing and tactically resisting every regulatory policy that will checkmate the excesses of accredited associations especially in their current posture of hyping and parading themselves as above regulatory subjection.
“Funny enough, 85% of stooges being fronted in this political arithmetic are all seeking for a re-election into the governing council, so who is fooling who.
He continued: “Honorable Minister, permits us, to set the records straight, sir, for all intents, character and regulatory purposes, the Act 16, 2007 does not organize nor recognizes the accredited associations as party to contest or vote in any CRFFN governing council election.
“The Act does not mince words by its choice of explanation in stating that an election shall be “organized for 15 registered freight forwarders, whose names are registered in the register of freight forwarders in Nigeria, and not for the freight forwarding accredited associations with the CRFFN.
“In there usual display of arrogance, with a profound mentality of over lords, they are so confidence and preemptive of the electoral committee screening outcome, hence, they went ahead to flood the online industry platforms, ports & terminal gates with their re-elect campaign posters.
“The pertinent questions from the concerned independent contestants is; “Did the electoral committee conduct a secret screening exercise behind the independent contestants thereby, giving preferences to the stooges over and above the independent contestants?.
“Honorable Minister, we wish to urge you to support the permanent secretary in her public statement and promise that the governing council election shall be conducted in the letter and provision of the Act 16 2007.
“Honorable Minister, Please do not take this unjustified ranting by parties who defaults in their accreditation and annual subscription fees.
“May we also inform the Honorable Minister that, there is a passed regulation by the formal governing council, waiting for the official with the legislature since 2012, the regulations is to give birth to the Federation of Nigeria Freight Forwarders’ Association.
“The essence is that, upon the rebirth of this federation it will be the single mouth piece or voice of the freight forwarders in Nigeria, this is in addition to prepare to take its appropriate place and status with the FIATA thereby replacing the CRFFN registration with the FIATA which was done on temporary basis.
“The federation is all-inclusive, but the last governing council dominated by the stooges of the industry political parties ignored this goal, just to ensure that other Associations don’t smell accreditation of the CRFFN.
“Honorable Minister, the act provides for accreditation or de-accreditation of associations and corporate institutions; register and deregister, registered freight forwarders. You may wish to set up an independent committee to review the activities of the accredited associations giving the parameter of professional performance indicators.
“Please be decisive and stay resolute in adherence to the provisions of the Act 16 2007 and not fall for the cheap threats of backing out from the election, go ahead and direct for the conduct of the election of 15 registered freight forwarders into the governing council, doing so, is fulfilling the provisions of the CRFFN Act,” he stated.
