CRFFN Election: Ex-Vice Chair Warns Amaechi Of Looming Breach of Peace in Freight Forwarding Industry

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Former Vice Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Dr. Sam Onyemelukwe has written the Minister of Transportation, Hon Rotimi Amaechi, warning him of the imminent tension and breach of peace in the freight forwarding industry due to refusal of the current CRFFN board to leave office.

In a letter dated 27th November 2020, the ex-CRFFN Vice Chairman called the attention of the minister to the flagrant violations of the Act establishing the CRFFN by the Governing Council that had served out its term in office from 2018 to 2020.

He charged the National Assembly and other organs of government to stop further dealings with the expired CRFFN Council, either by appropriation or further processing of amendment of the CRFFN Act.

According to him, the present activities of the Board are illegal, impunity, corruption and flagrant abuse of office and disregard to due process.

He argued that the tenure of office of the Council of CRFFN is 2 years and not 4 years as has been erroneously interpreted in some quarters to serve illegitimacy.

Making clarifications, he said the tenure of the pioneer Council members was 4 years, as they operated the first and second Council as allowed in the Transitional Provision ot’the Act in Section 2 (1)(c) in Third Schedule.

“This temporary provision was allowed in the Act for the pioneer Council to give it time to establish structures, after which the provision became impotent and of no future effect, The same Transitional Section also provided for 8 freight forwarders to be elected from the 3 maritime zones”

“This provision, which has been phased out was replaced by Section 2 (1) (g) that provided for a total of 5 freight forwarders from the 3 maritime zones, with each zone electing 5 freight forwarders.

“The last election into the Governing Board of the Council took place in July, 2018 and inauguration, as well as election into the offices of Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Council took place in October, same year. In other words, the tenures of office of the Governing Board, as well as the Chairman and Vice Chairman have elapsed”

“It is obvious that this Governing Board has achieved little or nothing in impacting on freight forwarders or the industry during its tenure; but this does not justify the mischievous plot to sneak in more time into their expired tenure. This is unequivocally illegal. not only will be bad precedence, but will also be detrimental to operations of the CRFFN and will ultimately cause tension and breach of peace in the industry” he warned

Onyemelikwe warned that if the action of the Governing Board is not nipped in the board, it would orchestrate crisis among Nigerian freight forwarders.

He also urged the government to restrict its appointment to that of freight forwarders from the 6 geopolitical zones of the country as contained in Section 2(l)(d-e) of the CRFFN Act.

Also, to ensure fairness and equitable distribution, it is important to rotate this appointment among States in each of the 6 geopolitical zones and Institution of Higher Learning as contained in the same Section 2(l)(d-e) rather than recycle the same people in the Council.

“That is the spirit of the Act for the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Council, there are clear conditlons that qualify persons aspiring for such positions. First, they must be freight forwarders and secondly, they must emerge through election.

“Not following due process will land the CRFFN and the freight industry in another round of turbulence as in the past, where similar incidents culminated in Police cases and law suits that also led to FIATA sanctioning the CRFFN”

“It is important that CRFFN, the freight industry and Nigeria is saved from the looming Stress and industrial strife by ensuring due process in line with tho CRFFN Act”

“Furthermore, the National Assembly and other organs of government should be communicated to stop further dealing with the expired Council, either by appropriation or further processing of amendment of the CRFFN Act, as the present activities of the Board are illegal, impunity, corruption and flagrant abuse of office and disregard to due process”

“It becomes necessary to call in the lCPC to audit and investigate activities ofthe Board and call its membership to order”

“It is our belief that the Honourable Minister will act in line with equity, good conscience and above all ensure implementation of processes based on tenets of the CRFFN Act by working for a smooth transition immediately. The retrogression of the past. where instability created a vacuum in the Council for 6 years must be avoided”