• Lucky: We didn’t apply, we are in court
• Factional Sec. : We applied , he is no longer our president
• CRFFN: You applied, scored 100%, but….
After what critics had termed as docility, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) last week presented the first-ever official register of registered freight forwarders and accredited freight forwarding associations at a brief ceremony which climax a three-day meeting of its governing council.
But, conspicuously missing from the register is the name of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents and its factional national president, Mr Lucky Amiwero.
The two names may however be missing for different reasons as the chairman of CRFFN governing council, Mr Tony Nwabunike admitted at a media chat that the Council of Managing Directors actually met all the criteria to merit registration, but regretted that the association is involved in litigations, hence the decision of the governing council to put the association’s registration in abeyance. He added also that the CRFFN found out that some members of the Council of Managing Directors are not managing directors of any licensed customs agencies, contrary to the association’s nomenclature.
But, reacting to the development Mr Amiwero told our correspondent last Friday that neither he nor his association ever sought to be registered by the CRFFN. “How can we apply when we are in court against them, the court does not allow any registration until the case is over”, he stated.
However, a clearer picture of the situation emerged after our correspondent spoke with the factional secretary general of the Council of Managing Directors, Mr Ben Ndee who confirmed that the body actually applied for registration.
He also dissociated the association from the court case, saying Mr Amiwero is no longer the president. “When we went for elections into the Council of CRFFN, we all contested as individuals, so why should Lucky drag our association’s name along with himself”, he stated.
But, throwing more light on the crisis, the CRFFN chairman, Mr Nwabunike explained that is body is being very careful, adding that “look at our score sheet, at the back of the sheet where the Council of Managing Directors is, they scored 100%, we have done our best and we are waiting for the final outcome of the court case”.
Shipping Position Weekly recalls that Mr Amiwero was one of those who contested for a seat in the governing council of CRFFN in 2008, but lost out. He consequently went to Lagos High Court challenging the process and outcome of the elections. He joined the CRFFN, its governing council chairman, the minister of transport and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (which superintendent the process) as respondents.
Several efforts o make him see reason and drop the case have so far proven abortive.
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