CRFFN Election: Concerned Independent Contestants Urge Amaechi to Ignore Threat, Blackmail, Barking by Associations
Pic 3 Minister of Transportation, Mr Chibuike Amaechi briefing State House Correspondnts after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday (2/1/18) 0015/2/1/2018/Callistus Ewelike/NAN
By Francis Ugwoke
Concerned Independent Contestants into the Governing Board of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria have called on the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to ignore the threat and blackmail of registered freight forwarding associations who are saying they will withdraw from the planned election except the Ministry follows their own set conditions for the exercise.
The independent candidates in an Open Letter to the Minister signed by Fwdr Chukwuemeka Godfrey Nwosu on behalf of the Concerned Independent Contestants – CRFFN Governing Council Election 2021, said Amaechi should only be concerned about what the provisions of the law say about the election and remain resolute in enforcing it.
The letter pointed out that the registered associations despite the advice of the Permanent Secretary in the Transport Ministry on the need to follow the provisions of the CRFFN Act have remained adamant for selfish reasons as against the legal provisions for such election.
The statement also drew the attention of the Minister to the fact that though there exists 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.
According to the letter, it was therefore laughable when associations insist on pushing independent candidates aside in the CRFFN election.
The letter further urged the Minister to be “decisive and stay resolute in adherence to the provisions of the Act 16 2007 go ahead and direct for the conduct of the election of 15 registered freight forwarders into the Governing Council”, adding that doing so means “fulfilling the provisions of the CRFFN Act”.
The letter said the associations for convenient sake have turned into what can best be described as political parties with a devised a political arithmetic of Coded 6:6:1:1:1 for the purpose of rigging the election in a freight forwarding professional setting.
The letter added, “It is an irony 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”.
Part of the letter reads, “Honorable Minister, Sir we read online the unfortunate and weak barking echoing from the table of some industry Political parties in the freight forwarding subsector of the maritime industry, who choose to code name themselves as registered associations under the CRFFN.
“These political parties in their attempt to hijack the forthcoming election arose from a meeting where they x-rayed the bitter truth and counselling dished our 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.
“Their resort to threatening the Honorable 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 blackky”, 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 this regards.
“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.
“Honorable Minister, it is an irony 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 instil professional discipline promptly can not be over emphasize.
“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 Hon. 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 reelection into the Governing Council, so who is fooling who.
“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 “organize 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 their 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 concern 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 rantings by parties who default 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.
“Finally, 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. o 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”.
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