CRFFN council crisis: Amaechi goofed, says Eugene Nweke
By Fredrick Wright
For unilaterally inaugurating his ‘anointed candidate’ as the chairman of the Governing Board of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has been described as mortgaging the progress of the sub-sector
Concerned stakeholder and Research Consultant, Congregation of Registered Freight Forwarding Practitioners Of Nigeria (CREFFPON), Dr Eugene Nweke, said there is no section or subsections in the CRFFN Act 16 2007 that expressly confers on the minister the right to unilaterally inaugurate the governing council.
He said the Amaechi’s action amounts to deliberate compromise and willful disregard to the extant provisions of Act 16 2007, section 2 (a)(b); and section 3(5).
“I read through the Act 16 2007, and didn’t see any section or subsection that confers on you such power to appoint chairman and vice chairman for the regulatory governing council of the CRFFN,” he stated.
Meanwhile, he said, “by suggesting and using such phrase as “maintaining status qou ” implies that, this is a continuation of the 3rd Governing Council, endorsed by you (Amaechi) for the completion of the controversial four years tenure which was canvassed for by 95% of returned members, invariably by earlier court decision on tenure elongation is a mere formality, judging by your action.
“Honorable Minister, your open endorsement of a “status quo ante” cast a serious integrity and due process questions on the recent compromised election for 15 freight forwarders into the Governing Council under your purview.
“Honorable Minister, permit me to reiterate that, there is no section or subsections that expressly confers on you the right to unilaterally inaugurate the governing council, neither have I seen any subtitle or heading with the phrase “Inauguration of the elected and appointed governing council members by the Honorable Minister “. Section 5 of Act 16 2007, merely confer on you, control of the council (better still ministerial direction of the council), which are specifically captured and unambiguous.
“For the intent and purpose of this Act 16 2007, this is a professional regulatory governing council where professionals are elected to formulate regulations Governing their professional practices, wherefore professionalism is the watch word. Therefore applying the same manner of inauguration observed for the Boards of the Nigeria Port Authority, Nigeria Shippers Council, among others, to me seems a misnomer and a blatant disregard to the professional essence,” he stated.
Nweke added that, “the established rules by the first Governing Council, as noted in section 3, provides that, it is the CRFFN management that will convene the meeting of the enlarged Governing Council members, having notified the Permanent Secretary ahead of time. At such meeting the Registrar provide the Council members with a simplified guidelines for the election of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Governing Council.
“It is after the successful and concluded elections of the Chairman and Vice Chairman, that the Registrar conveys to your office in writing, through the office of the permanent secretary the outcome of the Governing Council election and subsequently invite you for a formal inauguration on the next day marking the first Executive Council Meeting of the CRFFN Governing Council.
“However, the choice to and not to uphold to the intents and provisions of Act 16 2007 is our prerogative rights and also in our power, except that our consciences and posterity has a way around us when make the wrong choices, and unavoidably so,
“Honorable Minister, as a proud leader in the freight forwarding subsector of the maritime industry, I owe the larger practitioners and future forwarders the leadership responsibilities to right the wrongs at all times for posterity sake.
“Freight forwarding is a globally regulated and noble profession guided by professional codes, politicizing its professional essence from its root with the pace and manner at which it is been compromised and politicized only points to a professional defeats and future misdirection.
“Honorable Minister, in the past eight years, you have done your best at advancing the fortunes of our profession and the larger maritime industry, it is left for us as professionals to reevaluate your contributions toward the professional advancement of the freight forwarding profession in Nigeria within this 8 years of headship.
“Finally, you have performed your last tasks to the Freight forwarders as noted in our Act 16 2007, ” … issue the direction without modifications or with such modification as appear to him to be appropriate having regard to the representations”. We can only be grateful to God for making life a continuum and our simple prayer for you is: may posterity be fair to you,” he stated.
Nweke however told his professional colleagues to expect no meaningful professional success by negotiating their political interests over and above their professional interests.
He said: “Deliberate colluding with politicians to create professional insecurities, uncertainties and distrust has the capacity to destroy professional effectiveness and relevance,”
