Freight forwarders and clearing agents operating at the nation's seaports have alleged that the leaders of freight forwarding associations killed the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) because of their selfish interest and greed.
Shipping Position Daily gathered that the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) are now making frantic efforts under the ANLCA – NAGAFF initiative to scuttle the Federal Government's plan of hijacking the CRFFN.
At the duo's last meeting held at NAGAFF headquarters in Apapa on Wednesday, our correspondent learnt that the agents are seeking legal actions to stop government from proceeding with the amendment.
Speaking with our correspondent, Secretary of Tin Can Chapter of NAGAFF, Deacon Dikko Kalu criticised leaders of the associations, saying that they crippled CRFFN with internal bickering.
He noted that the ANLCA – NAGAFF initiative to stop government from taking the Council is an alliance that ought to have been made several years ago.
"In the last 10 years, personality clash has made the CRFFN not to operate at optimal. But because the leaders have now seen a shake-up coming from somewhere, they are now running helta skelta, what they ough to have done then is now what they are trying to do, they are the real cause of CRFFN problems" Dikko said
He however warned against government hijacking the council or amending the laws without carrying the operators along.
"The Bill will not work, because from the word go, government interference supposed not to come into the CRFFN at all. The president appointing people into the CRFFN would not work. It is the association's that made the Council, the moment you remove the associations from the Council it fails"
"What has made the council not to stand on its feet is because of these personality clashes" He said.
Also speaking with our correspondent, former Vice Chairman of ANLCA at Tin Can Port, Barr. Ada Akpunonu condemned the leaders of all the associations and lent her support for the government to take over control of the Council.
Akpunonu alleged that the leaders of the associations were consumed by greed and their desire to collect the Practitioners Operations Fee (POF) and share it amongst themselves.
"It is better the government takes over the council, the POF is why we have had proliferation of associations in the sector, I want the government to take the council because it is the bane of the problems in the associations"
"Since the leaders want to be selfish, government should take the council"
"They were thinking they could sit down and begin to collect money for associations to start sharing, but now the government has come in, that is how God works. Right now there is nothing they can do because they don't even have money" she said.
In a statement made available to Shipping Position Daily week end, which was jointly signed by Dr Kayode Farinto (ANLCA) and Dipo Alayoku (NAGAFF) to confirm the ANLCA, NAGAFF alliance to scuttle the CRFFN amendment, they advised that if the exercise is not properly handled it will bring setback to the sector.
They also urged the lawmakers to exercise caution while carrying out the amendment so as not to ambush the judiciary as some aspects of the amendment are already subject of litigations in the court of law.
The initiative, while reiterating the commitment to the new collaboration, said that the platform is to enable the two major freight forwarding associations in Nigeria to interact regularly with a view to presenting a common front on any issue affecting the to0tal logistic supply chain sector.
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