Since its creation in 2007, the CRFFN has not enjoyed peace; it has had to contend with freight forwarding associations and individual freight forwarders, at different times.
When it was created in 2007 via an Act of the National Assembly, the Council was conceived as the possible solution to the myriad of problems that were militating against freight forwarding and logistics in Nigeria.
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 years running 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.
We recall vividly that after its berth, it took a long while to have a governing council and the pioneer governing council also spent most part of its two years brokering peace between it and some individuals and between it and some institutions.
History recalls that, at the earlier part of its existence, the Council was engaged by the factional national president, National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents, Mr Lucky Amiwero.
Mr Amiwero dragged the CRFFN, the minister of transport as well as the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to court over allegations of irregularities in the conduct of elections into the governing council in 2008.
The CRFFN, also at one time had issues with the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) over interpretation of the Act which established the Council.
There was also the face-off with an unregistered, body called the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (IFFFA). The IFFFA had in a letter to International Federation of Freight Forwarding Associations (FIATA) allegedly instilled fear in FIATA, saying that the safety of its officials who were being expected for a train-the-trainer’s programme could not be guaranteed in Nigeria.
But the Council had a little respite, during the tenure of Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju as its chairman. During that time, he demonstrated uncommon ability to steer the ship of the council. This, he did going by the way he was able to reach a compromise with the NAGAFF during the face-off, and also in the manner in which he was able to tame the ‘renegades’ called IFFFA and the dogged manner by which he was able to pursue the FIATA’s train- the-trainers programme for freight forwarders.
He, along with the Council’s registrar; Sir Mike Jukwe and other members of the governing council were 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.
Since the approval became public knowledge, peace has eluded the freight forwarding family; it is so bad that members of the same association no longer trust one another.
It is a surprise that all efforts to end the feud have failed, including the intervention by successive minister.
It was this mistrust that dovetailed into the dissolution of the former governing council, having served for the mandatory two years.
It is the issue of collection and sharing of the POF that has led ANLCA to the law Court against the CRFFN, the Ministry of Transport, and many others.
Prior to the last appearance at the Federal High Court in Lagos, the parties had an understanding to settle out of court if the agreement drafted is okay by all.
Without equivocation, there were two contending forces in the events that led to the cancellation of collection of practicing fees, namely: the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) on the one hand and the freight forwarding associations on the other.
Within the fold of freight forwarding associations too, there were issues regarding how whatever accrues to them would be shared. In this, there were two positions- the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on one hand. Of course, three other associations namely: NAFFAC, AREFF and Council of Managing Directors; also standing together.
While the duo of ANLCA and NAGAFF were resolute that the smaller associations would not get equal share as them, the trio also stood together to ask for a commensurate portion of the takings.
Of course, the duo of ANLCA and NAGAFF also took on the regulatory body; the CRFFN, insisting that the body should not appropriate proceeds from the fees. Their argument was that, since the fees are payable by freight forwarders, it is wrong to allow the CRFFN to superintend over the money. Sadly, these positions caused all the contending parties a lot.
Back to the present- The major actor in the current face-off is the oldest freight forwarding association in Nigeria. Its grievances are connected to how proceeds from the POF should be shared.
While commending the leadership and membership of ANLCA for being resolute in its demand for equity in the sharing of proceeds from POF, we also think that in the larger interest of CRFFN and registered freight forwarders, there should be no delay in the signing the agreement.
The CRFFN has been crippled, and we think it is high time the Council got back on its feet. It is for its immediate constituents to also commence work towards the elections; the registered associations must hold the Council accountable for its promise of ensuring that a new governing council comes on stream as soon as funds are available.
We honestly commend the Council’s Registrar; Sir Mike Jukwe for his ability to hold on and for ensuring that the Council did not run aground , especially in the face of paucity of funds and various gang-ups against him and the council by varied interests.
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