CRFFN Failed Because Other Associations Were Edging Them On—Mustapha

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, a Board of Trustees (BOT) aspirant in the forthcoming elections of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), has expressed strong concerns about the current state of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), attributing its failures to the actions and influence of other freight forwarding associations.

In a candid chat with journalists recently, Mustapha, who was the former Chairman of the ANLCA Board, provided a critical assessment of CRFFN’s trajectory and the roles played by various stakeholders in its perceived decline.

Mustapha is currently seeking re-election into the ANLCA board alongside eight other contestants under the “Likeminds” Group of Nine.

“ANLCA was the foundation of how CRFFN came into being,” Mustapha began, emphasizing the pivotal role the Association played in the establishment of CRFFN.

“ANLCA members, not even NAGAFF (National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders), not even any other association, were the promoters of CRFFN. The essence of CRFFN has not been positively felt since its creation, and this is one of the key areas we need to re-evaluate as a board.”

Mustapha’s critique of CRFFN was unsparing, highlighting the council’s drift from its original purpose. “What do we stand to gain? What is the structure of CRFFN today that needs to be changed? What was the idea behind it? Has it been achieved? If not, what can we do to actually restructure it to the benefit of our members?” he queried, laying bare the dissatisfaction with the council’s current operations.

“CRFFN has lost that. Rather, CRFFN is standing like a milking body, really pushing our members to bring out cash, and that is not the essence.”

The veteran freight forwarder did not shy away from assigning blame, pointing fingers at other associations for their role in what he described as CRFFN’s failure.

“Why CRFFN failed was because the other associations were edging them on, they were not giving them the right advice. They were more interested in what they could get financially from the Council,” he stated.

Mustapha noted that despite the financial contributions from licensed customs agents, who are predominantly ANLCA members, their advice was often disregarded by CRFFN.

“Every penny paid to CRFFN comes from licensed customs agents, out of which 90% are members of ANLCA. Yet, when we give them advice, they don’t want to take it, so we decided to leave them alone.”

Mustapha also raised concerns about the lack of tangible benefits delivered to ANLCA members by their representatives within CRFFN.

“Some of our members from the other side are part of the CRFFN. What have they brought to the table as benefits to our members up to date? If they have not been able to bring anything up to date, then they cannot be useful to us anymore,” he remarked, suggesting that ANLCA may need to reconsider its involvement with the council altogether.

Looking ahead, Mustapha proposed a critical reassessment of ANLCA’s relationship with CRFFN, including the possibility of withdrawing from the council if necessary reforms are not implemented.

“This BOT wants to stand and look into it—whether we want to continue and restructure that CRFFN at the level of the government, or we entirely pull out ANLCA from it so that they don’t continue to blame us,” he declared.

Mustapha’s comments also hinted at potential financial improprieties within CRFFN, warning that a government investigation into the council’s budgetary allocations could lead to serious consequences for those involved.

“If the government decides to investigate the budget that has been released to CRFFN over the years, some people will be in jail. Among them are our members,” he revealed, further alleging that some ANLCA members had failed to return vehicles provided by CRFFN, which could expose them to further scrutiny.

Alhaji Mustapha’s remarks underscore the deep dissatisfaction within ANLCA regarding CRFFN’s current operations and hint at a possible restructuring or withdrawal from the council if significant changes are not made. As ANLCA prepares for a new chapter under fresh leadership, the future of its relationship with CRFFN remains uncertain, with Mustapha’s vision potentially shaping the course of action.