CRFFN Fraud: APFFLON Suspects Foul Play, Demands Resignation of Registrar

…Urges Transport Minister, Amaechi to Publicise Investigation Reports

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi have been advised to take a decisive action on the report of the investigation panel investigating the Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) Barr Samuel Nwakohu over alleged financial misappropriation and falsification of results.

The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has called on the Minister to take the same action he took in Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) with Hadiza Bala-Usman, and that he should direct the CRFFN Registrar to resign or step aside while the investigation is concluded.

National President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite in a chat with DAILY TREND NEWS noted that the Minister should not treat the CRFFN Registrar with kid gloves, considering the allegations of fraud levelled against him, which according to him has portrayed the freight forwarding industry in a bad light.

Speaking, Otunba Ogunojemite noted that the investigation instituted by the Ministry of Transportation have been concluded, and the Minister have asked for an executive summary for him to go through.

“I think they have submitted this executive summary before the Ramadan holidays, so why are they keeping the findings quiet, why have they not made it public?

“Let us advise the Registrar to step aside or resign, afterall in NPA, the investigation was not concluded before the woman was suspended, why is the case of CRFFN different, and what kind of signals are we sending to the other agencies in the industry and the country”

“These events are painting our industry black, the Registrar should stay away, let the Minister help us out, he should handle CRFFN like NPA”

“If people are sabotaging the investigation, it should be looked into, we know the minister must have delegated some people to handle this case, so why is it taking so long for them to conclude”

“The Registrar himself ought to step aside, pending the investigation, if not, he might be using his influence to affect the outcome or process of the investigating him properly” the APFFLON President stated

Otunba Ogunojemite lamented that presently, the freight forwarding industry in Nigeria is on standstill and nothing is working because of the inadequacies of the CRFFN.

The Ministry of Transportation was said to have commenced an investigation into Barr Nwakohu’s alleged hugh-handedness and corrupt style of running the freight forwarders Council in May 2021.

Part of the very many allegations of high-handedness levelled against the Registrar in a 14-paged internal petition written against him by members of his management team was that “The sum of N8,000,000.00 (eight million Naira) only was purportedly paid as fake

Corporate Social Responsibility to Federal University, keshere, gombe. Up to date, there is no documentary evidence to support and confirm receipt by the University”

“N400,000.00 (four hundred thousand Naira only) was given to a Lady under the guise of fake beauty pageant and tagged Corporate Social Responsibility, a transaction that has no relevance to CRFFN mandate”

“Fake donation of N4,000,000.00 (Four Miiiion Naira only) to his Alma Mata Okrika Grammar School Old Boy’s Association as Corporate Social Responsibility without due process and outside area and mandate of CRFFN”

“The Registrar has approved, the sum of N24,217,000.00 (Twenty-four million, two hundred and seventeen thousand naira only) to be paid to various fake NGOs whose activities have nothing to do with the operations of CRFFN”