Oluyinka Onigbinde
Findings by Shipping Position Daily have revealed that the governing council of the Council for the Regulations of Freight of Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) may be considering reappointing the Registrar of the Council, Barr. Sam Nwakohu for another tenure of four years.
Mr Nwakohu’s tenure ends by the end of this month, and he has been asked to hand over to the most senior director in the Council albeit in acting capacity.
He has handed over to Mrs Chinyere Uromta, who is currently Director of Enforcement and Compliance.
Chairman Governing Council of CRFFN; Alhaji Tsanni Abubakar informed our correspondent last weekend that, in line with the enabling Act, the governing council awaits the report of the Promotion and Disciplinary Committee to decide on whether or not to reappoint Mr Nwakohu.
In the meantime, the governing council has asked the registrar to reapply pending when the report of the committee will be ready.
Confirming that the Registrar is being considered for reappointment, the Chairman governing council said: “We allow the Committee on Appointment, Promotion and Discipline to decide whether there is need for him to reapply or they are to reappointment him for another term, we have allowed the committee to do that, because in the council we have committees and we give them the liberty to perform their roles, so we are waiting to see their report”.
“Whatever they decide and bring to the council, the council will look at it, but for now we ask him to hand it over, since his appointment will expire on the 31st of January and in other to avoid a vacuum in the council” he said.
However reacting to the appointment of Mrs. Chinyere Uromta, the Director of Regulations and Enforcement, as the acting Registrar of the council, Mr. Chidi Anthony Opara, a former member of the CRFFN Consultative forum, described the appointment of an acting registrar as an illegal act.
He said at no point in the CRFFN establishment Act was provision made for the position of “Acting Registrar” or for the position of Deputy or Assistant Registrar”.
He argued that Governing Council would have fast-tracked the process of reappointment or appointment of a Registrar before the expiration of the tenure of the present Registrar.
He urged the Governing Council to fast-track the process of reappointment or appointment of a substantive Registrar and not resort to “Acting Registrar” which he described as illegal.
According to him, “the CRFFN Establishment Act in part 3, section 11, subsection 1, provides for the appointment of “a fit and proper person” to perform the functions of Registrar. Subsection 2 specifies the functions.
“At no point in the CRFFN Establishment Act was provision made for the position of “Acting Registrar”. There is also no provision for the position of Deputy or Assistant Registrar.
“The implications of going ahead with the illegality of the appointment of “Acting Registrar ” would be that actions, etc, taken in that capacity would be null and void and of no effect whatsoever. Further implication would be that strict adherence to the rule of law in the subsector would have been seen as being further relegated”, he warned.
“The CRFFN Governing Council would have fast-tracked the process of reappointment or appointment of a substantive Registrar before the expiration of the tenure of the present Registrar. In case of appointment of a new Registrar, the person so appointed would have assumed office immediately after the tenure of the present Registrar expires. Having not done that, the Governing Council has created a vacuum that cannot be filled if the principle of adherence to the rule of law should be applied and seen to be applied strictly”, he stressed.
According to him, “What the Governing Council needs to do to control the present damage is to fast-track the process of reappointment or appointment of a substantive Registrar and not this resort to “Acting Registrar” illegality”.
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