Technically, it is true that the tenure of all the elected members of the governing council of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) ends this week.
Going by accounts and admissions by even the members, those who were elected about four years ago are due to vacate their seats.
On the face of it, that’s the fact, but events of the past few months have put all the dramatis personae in a quagmire, of sort. The matter is now about fees collection and tenure elongation.
Technically, it is true that the tenure of all the elected members of the governing council of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) ends this week.
Going by accounts and admissions by even the members, those who were elected about four years ago are due to vacate their seats.
On the face of it, that’s the fact, but events of the past few months have put all the dramatis personae in a quagmire, of sort. The matter is now about fees collection and tenure elongation.
The dramatis personae are: the Minister of transport, the chairman and other members of the governing council, the Registrar, and the leaders of the registered freight forwarding associations.
Starting from the reverse, the current face-off and the attendant deadlock that CRFFN has become is the handiwork of the leaders of these associations. The lead role was played by the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), being ably backed by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), being led in this struggle by its founder; Dr Boniface Aniebonam.
Prior to the issue of collection of practicing fees as approved by the minister of transport, the national president of ANLCA; Prince Olayiwola Shittu is the loudest ‘ambassador’ and strongest promoter of the CRFFN cause. The same can not be said of Dr Aniebonam, who even though a great contributor to the birth of CRFFN, has never hidden his disdain for the way the council is being run. His love for the CRFFN is however no in doubt.
The newly registered associations, namely; Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) and the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents have not helped matters either. Perhaps, out of being grateful to CRFFN, their presidents; Dr Frank Ukor and Prince Festus Ejiofor, respectively have not seem anything wrong with the actions or inactions of CRFFN in the current face-off over fees collection. They have chosen to ‘fight’ both NAGAFF and ANLCA for CRFFN and in the process crying more than the bereaved.
There is no doubt that the chairman of the governing council has delivered on his promises and his mandate, so much so that even in the face of the current ‘war’, no one could fault his credentials. He has been roundly commended for taking the Council to the next level. He has also never preached tenure elongation; rather, Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju has fought to ensure that the Council is financially strong to meet the expectations of thousands of freight forwarders who desire education and capacity building.
Sadly, he is sandwiched in-between three categories of council members: elected practicing freight forwarders, appointed practicing freight forwarders and appointed, but non-practicing freight forwarders. This admix is the predicament of an Act that created a CRFFN with a governing council which is populated by non-practicing freight forwarders.
Since the reconciliatory meeting that was called by the minister, nothing has really changed.
While it is true that at the meeting, the minister expressed disappointment that the CRFFN and the registered associations allowed the matter to degenerate to that level, while it is also true that he told the feuding parties that he would be happy to see the matter resolved, regrettably, the minister has not done anything to break the deadlock.
The minister has three options. First is to seek the advice of the minister of finance on the implications of allowing CRFFN to collect the controversial levy, owing largely to complaints in some quarters that the fees represent additional levy on imported cargoes.
The second option is to remove the suspension that he placed on the collection and direct the CRFFN and the freight forwarding associations to agree on a sharing formula. He will need to take it a step further by being involved in ensuring an equitable sharing.
The third option is to out rightly call for elections into the governing council of the CRFFN.
Whichever option he chooses, time is running out and he has done enough damage to the CRFFN by his silence and inaction.
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