Increase Uche (Chairman NAGAFF anti-corruption)
There shouldn’t have been anything like Council of Managing Directors in the first place, it should not have been allowed since the issues that led to the formation of that council were resolved and licenses were released in those days of 1996 and 1997. The only mistake was that Lucky Eyis Amiwero continued to use the platform to project his personal interest, at the end of the day when the founding fathers of the Council discovered that something belonging to a group was being usurped by a particular person, they reacted by calling for his removal. I don’t see the relevance of the Council, they should be an offshoot of ANLCA, by the composition of the Council I don’t support their continued existence.
Dr. Frank Ukor (AREFFN President)
The truth is that Lucky Amiwero has stayed for too long, he was President of National Council for more than 13 years, it doesn’t speak well of an association. I would have expected that by now Lucky would have condulted elections, Ejiorfor serving as President has not stayed for more than four years, all the period he was there, he has been in court because of crisis, he has not actually enjoyed that position as President of National Council. I wouldn’t condemn the management of the association for coming out to say they want to have an election, but it would not bring peace to the association, he should be given time to weather out all the litigation, trying to have an election and removing him now would make him vulnerable and exposed to litigations.
Chief Osita Patrick Chukwu (Coordinator, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders)
What the National Council should do is to go back to the drawing board, sit down and amend their house, they should synergise and work together, even if Lucky Amiwero feels aggrieved, they should find a way to settle out of court, this boils down to the CRFFN, had the CRFFN been functioning, they would have resolved the case, but now the Shippers Council should take up the matter, the Council should write both parties, listen to them and determine what the problem is, bring them together and conduct elections.
Frank Aliakor (ANLCA, Apapa Chapter)
The crisis rocking the Council has been there for a long time and we pray they resolve the matter and bring one leader who will guide them, because the crisis is making them unrecognized already, each time we go for events that involve freight forwarders there used to be issues between the leaders (Ejiofor and Lucky) on who should be at the high table, these things make the freight forwarding look unserious, they should organise themselves like ANLCA in order to remain stable. Lucky Amiwero and Ejiofor should sit and settle their differences, or else we would throw them out.
Festus Ukwu (Factional Director of Publicity, NCMDLCA )
Government recognises only one council and that is the Ejiofor-led NCMDLCA. The former President under Goodluck Jonathan has made effort to resolve the problems between Lucky and Ejiofor groups, which Lucky Amiwero did not show up. Speaking of achievements, I will say much has not been achieved in the council apart from the accreditation of CRFFN and again Ejiofor is not a credible leader because, he has failed to pilot the affairs of the association forward. There is no awareness campaign by the council because no achievement has been recorded so far and above all there is no progress recorded by the council under him.
Boniface Okoye (NCMDLCA)
I will say it is relatively poor; when it comes to assessment of the council since it split into factions. For Ejiofor, he failed to train his members for once since he was made president of NCMDLCA. He has never organised a seminar for members, which I believe will add value in their profession. When you look at sister associations like NAGAFF and ANLCA, you will agree with me that there has been massive transformation in the area of training, but Ejiofor is just stagnant, he lacks leadership vision. Lucky Amiwero tenure is better than Ejiofor in so many ways. Take for instance, Lucky can read and can write but for Ejiofor, he cannot read or write, he can’t even speak out, he cannot command respect the way a leader should and he is a square peg in a round hole. Therefore, I will say has not been able to perform. While Ejiofor has not done anything since he emerged as council president, Lucky was a voice. But above all, both of them however have a similar characteristic; which is the long stay in office as president without election.
Prince Offiong Emmanuel (Stakeholder)
The has been some level improvement in the Amiwero-led group when compared to that of Ejiofor. For instance, Lucky’s team has been organising seminars for members since they broke out from the other faction, while Ejiofor has not done anything to empower his own members. The Amiwero group has been engaging government on how to move the sector forward; which I will say is a progress for an association like the NCMDLCA. Ejiofor is a one gang who cares about himself alone and not for the association. He has never trained his members in anyway. He has failed to assist his members in anyway, which is bad. His leadership style is for personal interest, he has never fought for his members who have one difficulty or the other, but that is what Lucky Amiwero stands for. Amiwero makes sure he engage customs and others when it comes to a particular struggle and I think he should be appreciated for once.
Charles Njoku (NCMDLCA)
Truth be told, I don’t have any issue with Chief Ejiofor but I think there is need to conduct an election that will bring about change in the association. You will recall that it was the long stay in office by Lucky Amiwero that made the board to remove him as president. Now Ejiofor has also spent a very long period in office doing something similar to that of Lucky and I think that has not recorded any level of success for the association. However, the NCMDLCA just have to move forward and that is why the election is important.
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