Oluyinka Onigbinde
Even as the scheduled election into the governing board of the Council for the Regulations of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) holds this week, registered freight forwarding associations have distanced themselves from calls to boycott the elections.
Recall that the five registered associations, namely: ANLCA, NAGAFF, AREFFN, NAFFAC, and Council of Managing Directors had earlier proposed a sharing formula of 6-6-1-1-1 of the seats in the CRFFN Governing Council.
But, in an election notice published last week, the Ministry of Transportation, ruled that the election is open to all registered freight forwarders.
All the associations, except NAGAFF have expressed readiness to go into the election based on the new guidelines.
They have also kicked against calls by the NAGAFF for a boycott. The four associations have said they are not ready to boycott the election. this is even as they stated that they have jettisoned the previous sharing formula policy.
The registered associations stated this in response to the call made by the founder of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam that registered freight forwarding associations should boycott the coming governing council election of CRFFN.
Aniebonam who said he could not understand why the registered associations are still participating in the elections, had called on them to protect the CRFFN Act. He then charged the leadership of NAGAFF, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) to spearhead a protest to the National Assembly in addition to kicking against individual participation in the CRFFN elections.
However, in a chat with our correspondent, the leadership of some of the registered associations said they were not ready and will not participate in any boycott, they informed that their associations are ready to go into the election irrespective of what happens.
Speaking with our correspondent, the National Secretary, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders, Nigeria (AREFFN) Frank Obiekezie said AREFFN will not be part of the call to boycott the governing board election.
According to him, elections into the governing council of CRFFN is in the act establishing the council, he stated that NAGAFF is not serious about the boycott and has not been able to convince anyone of the need to boycott the election.
“AREFFN will not be part of the boycott and I am not sure that NAGAFF is serious about boycotting the election, there is no need for that, the ministry of transportation didn’t just come into the whole matter, we invited them indirectly by not doing what we are supposed to have done.
“Moreover, elections are in the Act establishing CRFFN, so we have not been given sufficient reasons why we should boycott the election, moreover it’s coming too late, if they have that kind of arrangement they should have started by convincing others. So I can tell you AREFFN will not be part of it if they insist they are boycotting” he said.
Speaking also, the National Secretary Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Babatunde Mukaila, stated that he is not aware of such decision and cannot speak on it.
Meanwhile. some contestants from ANLCA said they are not ready to boycott the election as they all agreed to stick with the minister’s final decision.
One of the contestants said: “Who made Aniebonam Lord over us, why should he be the one to determine whether or not we should boycott the election, we are not ready to boycott,” he said.
On his part, the National Secretary of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA); Mr Festus Ukwu said the association will only go on boycott if all the registered associations agree to boycott.
“If the registered freight forwarding associations all agree to boycott, of course the National Council will join because it affects everyone, if we decide to speak in the same voice, of course, that’s the way it will be, the council will adhere strictly to what other registered associations stick with, he told our correspondent.
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Also, speaking to our correspondent Mr Chidi Anthony Opara a registered freight forwarder described the minister’s directive as one that is meant to douse the tension generated by the 6:6:1:1:1 sharing formula quagmire
He said, “that directive from the Minister of Transportation to the Permanent Secretary of his Ministry was not feasible, it was not meant to be implemented as directed, maybe just to douse the tension generated by the unnecessary “sharing formula”.
At the time of the directive, no screenings (of the candidates) have been done. Please take note that there are about 30 candidates to be screened.
“At the time of the directive also, the election guidelines have not been made public and may not even have been drawn. The list of eligible voters had not been published at the time of that directive.
“Can all the above be realistically done in the time frame in that directive? The sincere and realistic answer is no. So, the directive was not and is not workable”, he said.
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