Jude Maduka (ANLCA member)
The cause of the problem was the sharing formula between the sister associations over the collection of the Practitioners Operations Fee (POF), but this time around that the minister has issued an ultimatum, it is going to be difficult for them to reconcile immediately with CRFFN, we have always been telling Jukwe (Registrar of CRFFN) to call a town hall meeting. Associations are just a segment of CRFFN governance, he should bring all the stakeholders to a town hall meeting, the POF should be agreed upon based on consensus by all freight forwarders, it is not for the associations to sit in a hotel and decide. The reconciliation the minister is talking about should be with total freight forwarders in the country, both corporate and individual, it should not be about associations. Also, we should be wary of the greed that will come up from the collection of POF, I think the collection of POF should be buried for now, it should be cancelled, let’s just reconcile and assist the council to be on its feet, people should pay up their practicing fees.
Pius Ujubonu (Stakeholder)
There is a problem with the CRFFN, because they were concentrating on only one aspect of the seven units they are to regulate, the Practitioners Operating Fees (POF) they are clamouring for will only be collected on cargoes. The way out of the problems with the CRFFN if government wants to make it additional revenue is for POF to be collected and sent to the TSA. The issue of sharing does not arise at all, we are comfortable with it, our own constitution allows us to collect practicing fees from our members, so if they continue paying willingly, we will continue to survive.
We hope that those close to transport minister will educate him about what obtains in the freight forwarding sector for him to have a proper grasp of what goes on.
Sir John Ofobike (Western Zone Coordinator, ANLCA)
Some people are expecting to collect and share Practitioners Operations Fee (POF) and this is the cause of the problems. Minister of Transport should find the bone of contention rather than threatening that he will meet with the CG to sanction, this is not possible. Secondly, MikeJukwe as the Registrar of CRFFN has a tenure, his tenure has passed, but he is turning himself to ‘Mugabe’. I will say let us have a proper board in place, people are so bothered about sharing of money, mind you ANLCA has gone to court. I believe there cannot be fire without a smoke, the minister cannot come and throw that kind of bombshell, somebody must have gone to do the damages, from the so called sister associations who believe they are the founders and owners of associations and they can gang up to do whatever they wanted to do. Who are the freight forwarders? It is a common name, government needs to relate with people who are trained and licensed, they are the best in classification, not any individual freight forwarder that will commit fraud and disappear.
Alloy Nze Igwe (ANLCA Chairman, Muritala Muhammed Airport)
By my legal experience, I know that when a matter is in court, it will be wrong for you to comment on it, and you know the matter is in court, the minister should allow the court to take its decision. He has said he is giving an ultimatum of two weeks and if we don’t do this he will proscribe, is he looking for peace by saying that? He needs to understand the nitty gritty of the problem before such an ultimatum comes, we are all part of this government and this country, such ultimatum should not have come at all. By the calibre of the minister, he is somebody we have respect for and I don’t think such statements should come from him, I believe he was wrongly-briefed.
Elder Donatus Ofoma (NAGAFF)
The way out of this is that we should obey the rules of engagement, because we have two legislative instruments which are: CEMA and CRFFN .Though CEMA came before CRFFN and in law the Act that come later supersede the former , therefore CRFFN Act is superior to CEMA for now. As we speak now the in – thing is freight forwarding and as a practitioner, I would love to see a situation whereby we all come together and move the industry forward because i believe should the customs brokers reconcile their differences with CRFFN , obey the rules of engagement , then the problems we are facing will be over. ANLCA members are the problem we are having in the ports and the minister wants peace to reign in the ports, that is why he gave that directive. If NAGAFF and ANLCA don’t cooperate in port operations, definitely there will be problem and these are some of the things the minister does not want to pop up again.
Comrade Pius David (Clearing agent)
I believe the minister’s directive will somehow proffer solutions to the lingering crises rocking the freight forwarding profession in Nigeria ,because already we have members of ANLCA who are registered under CRFFN, we also have those from NCMDLCA ,AREFFN and NAGAFF that have keyed into registration with the council. To many, the establishment of CRFFN is not important, but with the directive coming from the minister who wants the sector to grow, I believe it is a right step in the right direction, knowing that the council was set up by an Act of Parliament. The best way out of it is that every freight forwarders or customs brokers should resolve issue surrounding nomenclature and move forward in the profession .I will also advice that the minister should hold on to his word by ensuring that the directive is adhered to by all practitioners.
Prince Kunle Olukani (Treasurer NCMDLCA)
I think the minister have been briefed about CRFFN in line with the problems and he believes that there is the need for practitioners to make it relevant. I believe nobody is bigger than the government. Therefore the minister must be commended for this singular action by ensuring that the freight forwarding sub sector of the industry progresses. We must all embrace the minister’s directive, because he wants the sector to grow and the agency called CRFFN to bounce back.
Eniola Odulaja (Stakeholder)
The move by the minister to harmonise the practitioners; irrespective of the nomenclature is key at this time. However the best way out of this is to conduct an election for a governing council to be in place; whereby members of all the registered associations can be part of and I believe whenever the governing council members sit for one meeting or the other, I believe there will be harmony , which will then mark a new beginning for freight forwarding practice in Nigeria.
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