Olanrewaju Hits NAGAFF Founder over Allegation of Financial Irregularities , Calls for 10-Year Probe of CRFFN Accounts
By Francis Ugwoke
Former Chairman, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Aaree Hakeem Olanrewaju, weekend reacted to the allegation of financial irregularities in the Council describing it as a wide allegation.
Olanrewaju was not happy that the allegation was generalized, adding, “thoughts of this magnitude, brazenly uttered without substantiation, tilts towards causing undue insinuations and incitement among the practitioners”.
In a statement sent to SHIPPING DAY, the freight forwarder said the founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam who made the allegation in an exclusive interview with our Correspondent should have been specific as to whose administration witnessed such financial irregularities.
Olanrewaju who is the Managing Director of Talod Ocean-airfreight Ltd said that in view of this wide allegation, he was of the opinion that the current Chairman of the Council, should deem it necessary to carry out an audit of the Council’s accounts from 2008 to 2018.
He said that his administration carried out an audit of the Council’s accounts from 2008 to 2012 when he was Chairman of the Council.
Olanrewaju’s statement sent to SHIPPING DAY reads:
“RE:FOUNDER OF NAGAFF ALLEGES FINANCIAL IRREGULARITIES IN CRFFN, CALLS FOR PROBE OF PAST ADMINISTRATION:
My attention has been drawn to the
SHIPPING DAY industry publication of 02nd May, 2019, where the founder of Nagaff made an unspecific (general) allegations, which I regards as uncouth, stating that: “I think the current chairman must look at the accounts of the past administrations of CRFFN because a lot of money has gone down the drain. We are watching to see what will happen. A lot of money through the personal account of CRFFN has been misappropriated, serious money and that is why they are handicapped, they don’t have money to take off”.
Thoughts of this magnitude, brazenly uttered without substantiation, tilts towards causing undue insinuations and incitement among the practitioners.
On the basis of responsible leadership and integrity, I wish to
reinstate for the sake of clarification, that, the Council’s account (2008 to 2012) was adequately audited by a renowned Accounting firm and circulated to the appropriate authorities.
It is not out of place, for some one who does not understand the financial workings of a given administration to seek for clarifications in the right manner, but, it has been a terrible trend in our Profession, where individuals who had positioned their thoughts and actions never to see anything good with a particular administration, once he or she is not involved in the process or part of the administrative system, on that basis, the organization or administration should be discredited and possibly pull down to their satisfaction.
Let me also state that, the founder of Nagaff is a respectable elder statesman, it should be advisable for him to allege and substantiate on any issues, or preferable, always make efforts to cross check his information, before resorting to the press.
The resorts to making unguided or blanket statement, is neither elderly or statesmanly in truism.
I want to be emphatic to state that, the use of the word, “past administrations”, is generalized to include me, as the second governing council chairman and vice chairman to the first governing council, thereby, casting question on my leadership and integrity.
I will with due sense of humility and respect accept this persistent allegation from the founder of Nagaff, for the very last time, while trusting that respect is reciprocal.
Further more, much reason why I decide to down play this wide unsubstantiated allegation, is to also join in the call for a thorough probe of the council financial administration from 2008 to 2018.
I therefore, urge the incumbent chairman to evolve a process of accounts probing within the stated period. In this manner , we shall be setting a sustainable precedent for a transparent regulatory governing council administration.
On this note, I wish the present regulatory governing council members well.
May I end by stating, that, elders and captains of the industry should tow the path of respecting and appreciating leaders”.
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