CRFFN: Stakeholders Canvass An Inclusive Governing Council

Almost 18 months after its  first set of governing council members were elected; stakeholders last week canvassed the inclusion of representatives of other freight forwarding interests in the board of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
The calls echoed loudly at an awards ceremony which was put together by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos last week.
The flurry of calls for the inclusion of other freight forwarding associations on the board of CRFFN was kick- started by the former director general, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mrs Mfon Usoro who told the gathering that the intendment of the Act which established CRFFN was not for its council to be dominated exclusively by one association.
“To set up a council for freight forwarding without including a representative of NAGAFF and other key freight forwarding associations is incomplete; it is very critical”, she warned.
“As someone who worked very closely with the National Assembly and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council on the bill, the intendment of the Bill was that key representatives of five prominent freight forwarding associations should be in the Council, one of the draft Bill actually mentioned the associations”, she pointed out.
“She however stated that it turned out this way, probably because the hen minister of transport, Prince Okechukwu Emeka was not properly briefed about the underlying intendment”, she added, but advised that efforts  should be made to ensure that the imbalance is corrected while filling the remaining vacancies in the board. 
Speaking in the same vein however, he incumbent chairman of the Council, Mr Tony Nwabunike assured that NAGAFF and others who are yet to be represented would be accommodated.
Nwabunike acknowledged that NAGAFF contributed immensely to the birth of the Council and its sustenance, hence deserved to be on board, even as he openly expressed appreciation to the chairman, board of trustees of NAGAFF, Dr Boniface Aniebonam for the support that he has been giving and the cooperation which the Council enjoys. 
Also confirming what he called injustices in the composition of the governing council of the CRFFN, Dr Aniebonam expressed appreciation to the executive secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Capt Adamu Biu for intervening when agitations to correct the imbalance almost got out of hands.
Apparently in agreement with others who had spoken in similar vein, the NAGFF founder also said:  “the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding can only succeed if we have representations from the key associations, if you don’t do that, I wish you the best of luck”.