…….Keeps Mum On Elections
Last week’s intervention of the minister of transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman in the protracted face-off between the Central Working Committee of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CWCFFN) and the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) has finally broken the ice as the two warring groups have confirmed that peace has finally returned.
Confirming the good news to our correspondent, the Council’s registrar, Sir Mike Jukwe expressed happiness over the development, even as he equally confirmed hat the duo would soon hold a joint press conference to address some of the contentious issues.
He however refused comments on the controversial elections to fill the remaining seven slots in the council’s governing board. The election has been one of the issues over which the CWCFFN has engaged the leadership of CRFFN.
The former had argued that rather than going into outright elections to fill the remaining slots, CRFFN should give the slots to the other registered associations that are presently not being represented in the governing council. The Governing Council of CRFFN currently has an overwhelming presence of members of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).
The first hint that peace was in the offing was first received mid- last week after the meeting between the Minister and representatives of both the CWCFFN and the Registrar of CRFFN.
Our correspondent confirmed that the minister who had earlier shunned all entreaties for dialogue with the CWCFFN changed his mind after the intervention of some stakeholders.
It was confirmed that following the superior argument and persuasion, the minister met last week with a delegation of the CWCFFN which was led by the chairman, board of trustees of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Mr Usman Sanusi and the CRFFN Registrar.
Sources at the meeting also confirmed to our correspondent that the minister agreed that the intendment of the CRFFN Act should be properly implemented. He was also said to have expressed preference for an all-inclusive Council, but asked that he be given time to consult further.
It was also gathered that the minister may have been forced to halt the elections process following threat by the CWCFFN delegation to the meeting that it will go to court if it holds this week as earlier scheduled. The ministry had published a public notice about the elections.
In the publication which contained the election guidelines, accreditation of voters and candidates is to hold on September 21, 2010, after which elections is expected to hold the following, while the new council is expected to elect its chairman and vice chairman on September 23. This is expected to be followed by the inauguration of the new council on September 24, 2010.
The duo of Mr Sanusi and Sir Jukwe at different times told us last week that the meeting with the minister was very successful and all parties to the crisis have agreed to sheath their sword. Specifically, Jukwe confirmed that “the matter has been resolved, that is why nobody is talking to the press again. There is no more problem, we are all at peace”.
On the fate of the elections, he said he had nothing to say, because according to him, it is the ministry (of transport) that is organising it and that he was not in a position to say whether the election will hold or not.
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