For reasons not far-fetched, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) enjoys more attention on this page more than any other.
The Council, created with so much expectation in 2007 through an Act of the National Assembly, and conceived as a possible solution to the myriad of problems that were militating against freight forwarding and logistics in Nigeria, has added to the woes of practitioners, whom it was to uplift.
For reasons not far-fetched, the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) enjoys more attention on this page more than any other.
The Council, created with so much expectation in 2007 through an Act of the National Assembly, and conceived as a possible solution to the myriad of problems that were militating against freight forwarding and logistics in Nigeria, has added to the woes of practitioners, whom it was to uplift.
It is not an overstatement that the CRFFN has not really enjoyed peace since it was created, if it was not contending with freight forwarding associations, it would be feuding with individuals. It has had issues with one or two government agencies. Its pioneer governing council spent ample time brokering peace between it and some individuals and between it and some institutions.
Those who fought for its birth would never have envisaged that the council would shortly after its birth be faced with life-threatening issues, such as have forced it not to have a governing council for more than one year and also become so cash strapped as not to be able to meet its obligations.
One of the first questions that its promoters may ask is; whether it was wrong (after all) to have fought for the creation of a body that would enhance the freight forwarding profession in Nigeria.
Some have heaped the blame for the travails of the CRFFN on its pioneer governing council headed by Mr Tony Nwabunike, they equally blame the then-minister of transport; Mr Okechukwu Emeka for foisting that council and its chairman of freight forwarders.
To those who blame the minister, they maintain that the calibre of people who held sway as pioneers didn’t have the experience to handle the assignment.
But, when he emerged as the chairman of the governing council, Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju demonstrated uncommon ability to steer the ship of the council. This, he demonstrated in the way he was able to reach a compromise with the NAGAFF during a delicate face-off, and also in the manner in which he was able to tame the ‘renegades’ called IFFFA and the dogged manner in which he was able to pursue the FIATA’s training the trainers programme for freight forwarders.
He, along with the Council’s registrar; Sir Mike Jukwe and other members of the governing council was able to contain the various antics and intrigues which freight forwarders and freight forwarding associations are known for.
In fact, the Council was enjoying an apparently blissful relationship with all its constituents, until the peace was disrupted by the directive from the minister of transport; Senator Idris Umar to the CRFFN that the council could start collecting transaction fees on all imports into the country.
It is correct to infer that it was the twin factors of the attempt to commence collection of practicing fees and the fact that it appeared like members of the then-governing council were reluctant to vacate office that finally reignited the fire of of suspicion and mistrust which eventually brought the CRFFN to its knees.
It was this mistrust that dovetailed into the dissolution of the former governing council.
It is a surprise that all efforts to end the feud have failed, including the feeble intervention by the minister.
Without any equivocation, the last governing council should be held responsible for the fate that befell the CRFFN. The other accomplices are the leaders of the freight forwarding associations.
It is shameful that the CRFFN could engage its registered associations in a dirty fight over money.
All parties agreed that it was the sharing formula of money yet to be collected that caused the deadlock. A compromise at that point would have solved the problem, and all would have lived happily thereafter!
Playing on the rigid posture, immaturity and greed that were demonstrated by the gladiators, what the minister simply did was to simply dissolve a governing council whose tenure had expired. There may have been no need for this if there had been unity between the CRFFN and its immediate constituents, as represented by the registered associations.
It is obvious that the CRFFN is not in a position to conduct an election at the moment, given its poor financial position.
Even though it has no governing council, and even though, it can hardly meet its financial commitments, the CRFFN is still moving ahead, albeit slowly.
In between when the problem started and now, it has been able to flag-off its enforcement responsibilities. It is also heartwarming that in spite of its current state, the council only recently got the nod of FIATA to commence Higher Diploma in Supply Chain Management. All these are evidences of the hard work and commitment of the Registrar. We commend him.
The killers of CRFFN are the very people it was created to regulate – the freight forwarders and by extension their associations and their leaders who have refused to rise above ‘self’. While promoting their empires and massaging their individual egos, they are supervising the death of the same baby that many of them claim to have worked assiduously to procreate.
Sadly, the so called leaders of freight forwarding and leaders of freight forwarding associations failed to seize the opportunity that the immediate past chairman of the governing council; Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju provided when he brokered a meeting with all some of the gladiators. It is this same people who frustrated that noble effort.
It is quite obvious that the problem of the CRFFN is not with its management, nor is it with the Registrar. It is domiciled in the associations and persons in control of them as have been identified above, hence the way forward also rests with them.
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