By Ruth Sunday
In keeping with the advice of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani during the last freight forwarders Consultative forum in Lagos, the Five Registered freight forwarding Associations with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria(CRFFN) have invited Independent Contestants to a meeting today,11th October,2021 to resolve the impasse over election
It would be recalled that Dr. Ajani, had dujring the last stakeholders consultative forum directed parties concerned in the CRFFN election to meet and agree on the representation formula and get back to the ministry within two weeks to enable the ministry fashion out a more realistic and acceptable guideline for the election.
A Statement by Frederating Associations which include National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders(NAGAFF), Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA), Association of Registered Freight Forwarders in Nigeria(AREFFN), National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents(N CMDLCA) and Nigeria Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators(NAFFAC) made available to Time News Reporter, put the venue of the meeting as Rockview Hotels Apapa’ while time is 11 O’clock in the morning.
The Federating Associations invited among others Dr. Eugene Nweke, Dr. Increase Uche former members of the CRFFN Governing Board who were also former presidents of NAGAFF-: Mr. E. Elochukwu, former president of ANLCA, and a member of the first Governing Council; as well as Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju who also served in ANLCA. and was the Chairman of the 2nd Council.
The statement reads, ”the following people benefited earlier than now to serve as members of the governing board of CRFFN representing NAGAFF. They are Dr Eugene Nweke and Dr Increase Uche who were former presidents of NAGAFF and have served in the council representing NAGAFF. They want to return to the council this time around as independent/Individual Contestants..
”We are also inviting Mr E Elochukwu, the former president of ANLCA and a member of the first governing council who is equally staging a comeback as an individual contestant . In the first council board he served representing ANLCA .
”We are also inviting the chairman of the 2nd council Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju who served under the canopy of the good will of ANLCA. The story line was that the first council election may have been comprehensively rigged by ANLCA and a click of personnel of the Nigeria shippers council during the maiden election.
”Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju who has been writing all sorts of innuendoes to the Hon minister of transportation and the perm sec may have forgotten something in the council Chambers. He and Otumba are friends of ANLCA and always enjoys the goodwill of ANLCA always. And any other independent candidate is being invited to the meeting.” they stated’
The Group further disclosed that the five Registered Associations have made estimated cost of N5.1 million for logistics, Media, Entertainment and others hence the poor financial state of the CRFFN, adding that NAGAFF and ANLCA have agreed to absorb N2.4m each, whereas, other three associations are to contribute N100,000 each
”However we are all aware that CRFFN is not very buoyant enough to pick bills. Indeed it is in the public that CRFFN is indebted to Rockview Hotels ltd Apapa. Therefore the expenses for the meeting must be taken by the stakeholders to enable a neutral place and central to everyone. Accordingly an estimated cost of 5.1million naira is to be used for logistics, media, entertainment etc. NAGAFF and ANLCA have agreed to absorb 2.4m naira each as senior partners. Whereas the other three associations shall contribute #100,000 each.
”Independent/INDIVIDUAL Contestants are allowed to attend to avoid any excuse because one or two of them have started complaining that they have no money to contribute. We are doing all these to obey the Hon minister of transportation. We know that the underlying factor of all these is about stomach infrastructure remotted by POF COLLECTION.
”The Hon minister and permanent secretary are being encouraged to understand that the driving force here is greed and stomach infrastructure. At the moment the ongoing lobby is a demand for monetary consideration from some of the trumped up independent/Individual Contestants before they can step down.
”The truth is that NAGAFF and ANLCA are not prepared to path with a kobo to anybody. This is because we know that all of these guys making noise are members of NAGAFF or ANLCA or AREFFN or NCMDCLA or NAFFAC.
”It is our hope that the Hon minister of transportation and the perm sec do not allow them to derail the ongoing election. This is because the freight forwarders of Nigeria speak to the council board and Hon minister through the consultative forum . The consultative forum is made up by the federating associations and members( individual and corporate) for the direction and control of the minister. Please see section 5 of the council act for better understanding,” they added. .
Photo: R>L ANLCA President, Tony Iju Nwabunike, Dr. Rafiu Oladipo, Founder NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam
 |
|
